Wedlocked
by chynnadoll36
Summary: An arranged marriage is what separates them, but something stronger will bond them together. A story of an arranged marriage, seduction and a forbidden love affair. AH, M rated for adult themes and language, some canon pairing.
1. Prologue, Not Him Again!

**Chapter 1: Prologue. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: Steph owns it all, but Rob owns me!**

**A/N: This is a re-edit repost**. Wedlocked is my first Fanfiction story, so holds a special place in my heart. I would like to acknowledge the wonderful people who supported me in my first creative writing venture: my amazing beta's **Momma Bear **and **PineandApple**. Thanks to **UKGirlyGirl** for the cool title and putting up with my craziness. And last, but certainly not least, thanks to **Mehek18** for the awesome banner and for all the fiction work we did together.

The story is being re-edited and revised chapters will be posted weekly at a minimum. I welcome new readers and those who honor me by paying a revisit to this, my first Fanfiction baby. **Enjoy!**

**Prologue: Not Him Again!**

"Welcome to Starbucks. How can I help you?" My cheeks feel strained from the fake smile I have plastered on my face. I wait for what seems like an eternity for his response.

_What is it with people? The same damned people come in here everyday and they still don't know what they want. They wait until it's their turn to order, and even then they stare at the menu, trying to get some divine inspiration. Idiots!_

I thought all corporate types were supposed to be so smart. They always ask for their frappe, latte, blah blah…. whatever.

"I'll have a large iced coffee."

His voice pulls me from my mental smack down, and I stare up at him.

"Excuse me what"? Obviously annoyed that he has to repeat himself, he restates his order.

"Will that complete you order, sir?" He nods, not really paying attention. He seems engrossed with something on his iPhone.

"That'll be $4.25."

He reaches in his wallet, still not paying attention, hands me an extremely crisp twenty dollar bill and proceeds to grab the coffee and exits the store. There must have been something really interesting on that phone for him to forget his change; or it's just my lucky day. Now I'm pissed off because I have to do the noble thing, or don't I? I eye the money suspiciously.

_Shit._

"Ang, cover me."

I sprint to the door; change from the twenty clasped firmly in one hand. I recognize him from the back and yell.

"Excuse me, sir you forgot your change!" He doesn't turn to acknowledge me.

"Keep it," he says, unconcerned. I stand there; gaping with what I'm sure is a gormless expression.

Due to my brief but untimely absence, chaos now reigns at ground central. I resume my position next to Angela, and she glances in my direction. "Work much"?

The line has doubled in size, and the patrons… well let's just say they aren't very happy at this point; the obscenities I hear make that point clear. I do my best to get everything back into some kind of order, before things get really out of hand.

_I mean_, _Starbuck's in a downtown Chicago area. Need I say more_?

"Was he worth it?" Angela smirks, never lifting her eyes from the register. I look at the exit, and then shift my eyes to the change from the twenty in the tip cup. I smirk back.

"Do you have to ask?"

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**End Note: **As you all know by now this is a re-post, but all reviews are welcome and will be treasured. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2, Case of the Missing iPhone

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: **Re-edit repost with **FoolforEdward **beta'ng.

**Chapter 2: Case of the missing iPhone**

**BPOV**

I'm exhausted as I walk into my apartment. I close the door behind me and lean my head back against it. I'm disturbed from my momentary respite, by being damned near knocked off my feet by my best friend.

"Sadie…God!" She barks in response. "I missed you too, now down girl."

Ugh! I'm so beat, too tired to cook anything for myself. I decide to just have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. I kick off my shoes and get comfortable on the couch, grabbing half of my sandwich with one hand and the remote with the other. Sadie watches closely for stray morsels, which may come her way. I flick through the channels, and settle for watching the local news.

"In area news, Edward Cullen, voted most eligible bachelor and future heir of Cullen Oil, has set a date for…." I hit the off button and settle for iTunes instead. It's 7:45 p.m. and my cell rings on cue, it's a cheesy ringtone. I don't need to look to see who it is.

"What Rose? I answer the phone, rolling my eyes, familiar with what's she's about to say.

"Bella what are you doing?" _Is she serious?_

"Are you serious?"

"Let's go out and do something."

"Rose, I have to be at work at 7 a.m. tomorrow, the answer is no."

"Bella, get your ass up off that couch and let's go out."

"Not tonight Rose, I'm serious. I'm exhausted. I need sleep, and I'm going to get it".

"Bella Swan, you… "

"Bye Rose." I end the call. I'm sure she's pissed off now.

Turning in earlier than I had anticipated, I sink deep into the contours of my mattress, with Sadie resting comfortably at the foot of the bed. Sleep never comes easy, even after my nightly calming ritual, but eventually I succumb. It's not the most peaceful or most comfortable night, but I'm grateful that I at least got some sleep.

"Welcome to Starbucks, how may I help you?" The fake, plastered on smile is not in evidence today. I'm the one not paying attention this time as I engross myself in trying to fix the damned broken cash register.

"Iced coffee please."

My head shoots up, and he's smirking. He's smirking to find me fighting with the damned register drawer. I stare at him, nonplussed at his change in demeanor. _Smiling and paying attention?_ His eyebrows slowly rise, waiting for acknowledgement.

"I'm sorry?" I stupidly ask.

"Iiiced Coooffeee." He enunciates as if I'm either dumb or hard of hearing. He's tone is sarcastic, but he's smirking playfully. _Is he flirting?_

Yeah right, not with me. His behavior is somehow different today; freer, lighter, like a breath of fresh air. He's dressed differently too. Yesterday, it was very corporate; today, it's t-shirt, tennis shoes, and fashionably worn jeans_. _I'm in a daze. I shake my head to get my thoughts back on track.

"That'll be four..."

"Twenty-five," he finishes and hands me a crisp twenty, smirking all the while.

_Why is he watching me?_ I feel weird, finding it hard to concentrate.

_He's_ _so_ _gorgeous_. I shake my head again trying to clear the daze. I finally wrestle with the drawer successfully enough to get his change. I hand him the $15.75, but his hand doesn't reach to take it. He's still watching me with that damned smirk, as his tongue slips out briefly to wet his bottom lip. He leans in, never taking his eyes off me, and whispers, Keep it."

Once again, he's out of the door quickly, and I'm gaping, yet again. _Yep, definitely gormless._

It's quitting time. Angela and I are getting the store ready for the morning crew. T.G.I.F! It's payday and I don't have to work tomorrow. Life is good.

"So, what's on for tonight, Ang?"

"Sleep, I'm exhausted and Mike no doubt will be planning on getting some, and he'll be disappointed. What about you?"

"Um, I'm probably hanging out with Rose. I blew her off last night so I know I have to make it up to her." Making it up to her is what I know I'll be doing. Rose will probably have me in some club until the wee hours of the morning.

"Well have fun, you need to."

Here we go with the 'Bella you need to have fun' speech. I roll my eyes and continue to wipe down the counter.

"Hey Bella? Did you see who left this?"

She holds up a very expensive looking phone. I walk over to her extended hand and take the phone. I immediately know who left it behind. What is it with this guy and forgetting things? _He didn't forget the money. He gave it to you, dummy_.

"Shut up." I silence my ever-alert conscience.

"Who are you talking to, Bella?"

"No one." I mutter, embarrassed to be caught talking to myself.

"So, do you know who left it"?

"Um, yeah." I say nervously.

"Well, who, so we can leave a note for the morning crew."

I don't purposely ignore Angela, but I'm nosey as hell so I turn on the phone. The screen says;

**Edward Cullen's Phone**

"Oh shit."

* * *

**EPOV**

"Edward where the fuck have you been? I've been calling and calling; Dad is on the war path, with Mom close on his heels!"

My sister can be so fucking annoying sometimes.

"Calm the hell down, Smidge, I lost my phone."

"Well you better find it, I know there's important shit on there. Dad's going to lose it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know." My whole family is obsessed with the need to keep tabs on everyone, especially me. I know I need to always be available to Carlisle for business reasons. Ever since I graduated from college, I knew what my position was in this family. Carlisle made sure of that. Learn the business and be ready to run it by the age of twenty-one. Carlisle wants to retire and expects me to marry when I reach twenty-three. It's more a demand than a desire, but I can't just marry anyone, I have to marry Tanya Denali. A marriage to Tanya solidifies our families' businesses.

"You know Edward, your flippant-ass attitude is not very charming. Esme and Carlisle will definitely have something to say about your sudden evasiveness." Alice only uses 'Carlisle and Esme' when she's pissed off with them. I wonder what they did now. If I have to guess, I'd say it probably has something to do with her new boyfriend. She can be a fierce little thing. We're a lot alike, but Alice is the most compassionate of all of us, and that's saying a lot. I pull up a barstool and straddle it backwards. "I'm not a child Alice, and I wasn't being evasive, I lost my phone; get over it.

"Yeah, whatever. Save that 'I'm not a child' shit for Mom and Dad. I have other issues to deal with, like your upcoming nuptials." Now, I know that Alice's outburst has to do with the wedding.

A loud sigh escapes my lips. "You have months to plan this bullshit fiasco of a wedding Alice, now back the fuck off." My eyes focus on the marble textured tiles, while I rock back and forth on the stool, no doubt leaving scratches on my mom's newly purchased Bernini floor. My smile spreads slowly. "Anyway what's the big drama now?"

"Don't you fuck with me Edward Cullen, I don't like being stressed, especially when I'm in my element. You need to get in touch with your future bride and figure some shit out. You guys haven't given me anything to work with yet, so either get on it, or I'll send you to your wedding in that t-shirt and those holey jeans." I shrug my shoulders. Does she really think I give a shit? She stomps out of the kitchen, leaving more scratches with her stilettos. I tilt my head to the side and raise my eyebrows. _Mom's going to be pissed off!_

The door opens, then slams, and I am face-to-face with the lynch mob, or at least one of its members… and 5,4,3,2,1….

"Edward where the fuck…?"

"I lost my phone." I interrupt dryly, never looking up from the magazine I'm reading.

"Well find it. There's important shit on there, I'm sure. Have you spoken to Alice?"

"Yes I have."

"Good, I'm sick of her complaining. Also, I need you to go down to the office. James is coming by with the proposal, and I have to be in Seattle by noon tomorrow. You'll have to handle the meeting."

"Fine." More dryness. "I'm leaving now."

"Edward?"

"What?" I stop in my tracks and turn slowly, eyebrows raised.

"Phone?" he says with one eyebrow raised.

"I'll pick up a new one on the way. I'll call you later."

"Where the hell is my phone?" I ask of no one in particular, as I walk towards the garage and pat my pockets, already knowing that it's not there. I think and retrace my steps, and then it comes to me: iced coffee, brown eyes, huge brown eyes. I smirk as I back the Mercedes out of the garage. Looks like I need to make a stop on the way to the office. Hell, I could go for another iced coffee right now.

* * *

**Angela's POV**

_Bang, bang, bang…_

_Who the hell's banging on the door? Are they so stupid that they can't read a sign that clearly says 'closed'_? I make my way over to the door and slowly point at the sign. Moron. He rolls his eyes. His voice is muffled through the door.

"I left my phone here. Do you have it?" he says, slightly annoyed.

" Can you describe it?" I'm just as annoyed.

"It's an iPhone."

I feel the urge to fuck with him. Can you be more specific?" I smirk.

"It's a fucking iPhone how much more specific do you want me to be?"

"Hold on a sec," _bastard. _ "Bellaaaa, the owner of that iPhone is here to claim it, and wait until you see who it is."

No answer. I yell again, no answer. Damn it! No Bella, no iPhone in sight, just one very pissed off, gorgeous asshole. This should be fun.

"Excuse me, sir.

**EPOV**

"You have got to be fucking kidding me! What do you mean she must have taken it home?"

_Fuck. _I know I shouldn't be pissed off at the girl behind the glass, but pissed off I am. "Is that proper procedure for lost and found items?"

"I'm sure it was an accident. You can call back tomorrow."

Now I _am_ pissed off. "No way, I need a phone number, or an address."

"I'm sorry. I can't do that, but I'll try and call her for you."

It's taking too long for my liking, and I glare at her while she walks away to make the call. After what seems like an interminable time, she returns to the door and yells.

"I'm sorry. There was no answer. You can try back tomorrow, sir."

_Fuck!_

I'm doing 100mph in a 75mph zone. The top is back, and the Raybans are down. I know speeding is against the law, but I need the distraction. I sigh; at least I can enjoy the open air. I pull into my designated parking space and walk up to the bane of my existence. I punch in my code and walk through the double, glass sliding doors and make my way over to the elevator. "Good evening Mr. Cullen."

"Good evening Marcus." I step inside, and press the button for the 24th floor and wait. "Cullen Oil, Lauren speaking." I announce myself and the elevator starts moving.

The waiting area is empty except for the receptionist and James, who is sitting a little too closely to her. I'm sure he's trying to get a glance at her tits that are far from being concealed. I clear my throat, hoping to stop the potential sexual harassment suit Cullen Oil could be faced with.

"Edward, I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"I'm sure you did James. After you." I extend my hand being the courteous businessman my father groomed me to be. I successfully resist wiping my hand on the leg of my pants. James is a slimy motherfucker in every sense of the word.

"So, Carlisle tells me you're aware of everything in the proposal." I nod, not looking at him, but skimming through the documents he's placed in front of me. Like I said, slimy. "Everything looks in order, James. The board members will be here shortly." I press the button on the intercom on my desk, "Lauren, will you see to it that boardroom two is ready."

"Yes. Right away, Mr. Cullen."

"Looks like we have a meeting to get to bro." I nod again. "And strip clubs after," he adds patting me squarely on the back. My brother can be

such a prick.

"Loosen up man, you're in a fucking strip club for God sakes!"

"I can see that James."

"Yeah, but do you see all the potential sex in here…wow!" He says amazed and turns his head at an awkward angle to follow the stripper's movements as she turns upside down, clinging to the pole.

"Don't be such a fucking sleaze, James." I throw back my Jaggermeister.

"Don't _you_ be such a fucking idiot. You better take in all the extra tail you can get before that Denali broad has your dick slung over her shoulder like a Gucci purse and your balls as matching accessories."

I cringe at his comment and my buzz is shot. "Thanks a lot, Man."

"What?" He shrugs, feigning nonchalance. I need to get the hell away from my brother and fast, before I tell him where to really stick those hundreds he's waving around.

He's a bastard when it comes to women. I'm not a saint by any means, but James is the ultimate slime ball. He's only in it for the sex, and when he gets it, he tosses the women aside like they're garbage. He's always been that , accept for that one time.

Her name was Leah. She was James' one weak spot. He loved her, worshiped her even. They were supposed to get married, but my mother put an end to that. Leah and James met at Cullen Oil. She was a temp, and James was instantly smitten by her. Leah wasn't the type of woman my parents approved of as a match for James. She was what they called "forbidden." She didn't come from money, but she had an elegance and grace about her that even the richest women couldn't emulate. She was the love of his life. Leah wasn't put off by James in the beginning, but that didn't faze him. He kept pursuing her until she started to find his cocky demeanor charming. They eventually fell in love and he asked for her hand in marriage. Mom was having none of it. She did everything in her power to make sure that Leah did not marry into the Cullen family. She treated Leah like total shit every chance she got. It caused such a hostile environment that Leah called off the engagement and walked away saying she couldn't stand to be the cause of his family's dissention. James was crushed. There has never been another Leah. He never talks about her. I know he misses her. That was two years ago, and now here we are, tucking hundreds into these broads' G-strings.

I only had two drinks, but decide not to fuck with fate… cab it is.

I exit the cab and start up to the gate. "Home sweet hell," I say out loud. Suddenly the lights flip on, half blinding me.

"And it's about to get worse, where the hell have you been?"

"Damn it, Tanya! How the hell did you get in here?"

"How in the hell do you think?

_Fucking Alice, I'm going string her up by her pointy-toed heels._

"We're going to be married soon enough anyway, so what's the big deal?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose, "Tanya, we're not married yet, which means you don't get to stalk me in my house."

"Well you wouldn't answer your phone, and we need to talk about…."

"The wedding, I get it. I snap, livid that she's here, destroying what's left of the buzz that James already made a head start in eliminating. _That motherfucker is probably home right now, engaging in all kinds of raunchy sex with less annoying women than Tanya._

"I don't know why you and Alice don't handle it. I couldn't care less about '_the joys of_ _planning a wedding'. _I move to turn down the lights. _Fuck it's way too bright in here._

"Besides Tanya, we all know why this wedding is taking place, so what kind of cake or flowers you choose makes no difference to me." I flop down on the couch and rest my head back against it, finding the ceiling strangely more interesting than my present companion.

"Look Edward, this wedding was arranged for me too, you know. It's not all joy for me either, but our betrothal has a lot riding on it. You're not going to screw me just because you're a spoiled, stuck up brat. Besides, we're both young, attractive people, there is no reason we can't make this work to our advantage.

_Who's she calling stuck-up? Pot meet Kettle._

I continue to look at the ceiling, letting her words linger in the air. I glance at her. She's waiting for a reply, so I give her one. I rise from the couch, grab her face, kissing her hard with all the built up frustration and lust that's lingering in me. I push her back against the door, running my hands down one jean clad thigh. She pushes me back with all of her strength, making me stumble back. She bites down on my lip. I pull away and wipe at it, looking at my hand for traces of blood, and l laugh out loud.

"You fucking bit me!"

"Keep your hands off, Edward." She gestures towards her legs. "These legs stay closed until after the wedding."

"Then we're done here '_until after the wedding._' I usher her to the door. "Talk to you later, Tanya."

"But Edward, we need to talk."

I close the door, yelling, "I said later."

_Oh well,_ s_o much for sex tonight_. That bite did nothing but make my cock come to life. Tanya's sexy, I think to myself, plopping back down on the couch.

_**Flashback:**_

"_Hey beautiful." I walk through her office door. She looks up from the paperwork_ o_n her desk._

"_And to what do I owe that term of endearment, or this visit?" She asks as she twirls a lock of her hair on her index finger._

"_Oh, I wouldn't say owe…that sounds kind of illegal. Don't you think?" I walk over to stand behind her, running my hand across the back of her chair._

"_Ok. What should I say then?" I spin her chair around to face me. She's fucking hot in those glasses. I stoop down in front of her, undoing the first two buttons on her pinstriped blouse._

"_If it were you, I wouldn't say anything much," I lean in and kiss the swell of her right breast gently. Fuck, she smells good enough to eat. We'll save that for another day. "I would just take the compliment, and say thank you." I start running my tongue down her now exposed cleavage._

"_Thank you." She responds breathlessly with her head thrown back ever so slightly. I pop open the next button._

"_You're welcome."_

"_Edward?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_What are we doing"? Was she kidding? Did she need a fucking diagram? _

_Still kissing. All seven button undone now. "You need an explanation?" I pull back and look at her, and she's biting her lip. I yank her to her feet, pulling her closer to my chest. She squeals at the sudden movement. Grabbing her hand I walk over to the door quickly, and turn the lock, waiting to hear the click. Still holding onto her hand, I lead her over to the leather sofa and flop down, pulling her down to straddle me. Looking straight into her ice blue eyes, I start lifting her skirt so she that she fits more securely against the place where I need her most. I pull her already open blouse off and toss it to the side. I kiss her jaw and down her neck, sucking the gently._

"_Edward." She moans._

"_Mmmm?"_

"_Edward we have to stop." She pulls away._

"_I want you." I mumble into the crook of her neck licking and tasting every inch of her skin as her_ m_oans turn into heavy panting. _

"_Oh God, you don't play fair." _

"_Nope." I chuckle with my lips close to her ear, biting down on her lobe._

"_But we can't do this right now." I pull her hips to mine and thrust upwards, letting her know we could definitely do this right now_.

"_No one's coming in here, Tanya. I locked the door remember." I say, while pulling down one cup of her laced bra and grab her nipple in my teeth, smiling against her breast. She jumps at the sensation, causing friction on my cock. That's all I need; I rip off my shirt and toss it aside. I grab the back of her head and pull her to my lips. She reaches up to remove her glasses._

"_No, these and those stay on!" I say, then gesture to the open-toed red pumps she's wearing. She leans in and licks my bottom lip, teasing the shit out of me. She'll pay for that later. I unzip her skirt, but it's difficult to get it down with her straddling me._

"_Stand up baby."_

"_No Edward." She pushes me back against the sofa and stands up, readjusting her clothing._

"_When I said we couldn't do this now, I meant we couldn't do this before the wedding"_

_I blink and look up at her like she's just taken leave of her senses._

"_Excuse me, what?"_

"_We can't have sex."_

"_No, say the part again about the goddamn wedding!"_

* * *

**BPOV**

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, Bella._

I shake my head while inwardly berating myself.

_You_, d_o not steal the man's phone_.

Wasn't stealing it, really. I was just…. I don't know… curious? I stand, biting my thumbnail and staring at the phone, on what I like to call my coffee table, as if it's a bomb about to go off.

_Buzz, buzz, buzz_! I nearly jump three feet when it vibrates. Maybe I should answer it, I think, but decide against it. I'll just take it back to the store in the morning, or maybe I'll deliver it personally.

_Yeah and maybe he'll have you arrested for theft. _

"Shut uuuuup_!" _I shout at the inanimate object as the ringing starts up again.

I ignore the phone and slump onto the sofa, just wanting to relax for a while. I'm so bloody tired after my shift at work.

I'm looking at the most vivid colors, green, and red; no, more like copper. The colors are moving in and out like the strobing light of a disco ball. Am I high? It's clearer now; they're not just colors I see, as the vision slowly morphs into eyes, lips, and a glorious head of hair, a head of hair you just want to grab on and pull while it's moving down between your…

_Bang, bang ,bang. _"Open the door Bella, or I'll make Sadie bark continuously and get you evicted." I'm pulled unceremoniously from my dream by the insistent noise at the door.

"Rose," I groan loudly.

"I mean it, Bella. You're not backing out of this tonight. Open this door, or I get louder."

"Okay, okay." I make my way over to the door, snatch it open and there's Rose, standing in something that looks a lot like what Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman; _before_ she started spending the rich guy's money on _appropriate clothing_.

"Am I hot or what?"

'Or what' instantly flashes through my mind, and she must sense this.

"Don't you dare answer that, Bella Swan," pointing directly at me. I "know I'm hot. Now you go and get hot as well."

This is going to be one long night.

After watching Rose bump and grind for what seems like hours, I finally decide I've had enough. I make my way to the dance floor where Rose is practically wrapped around some big, yet gorgeous guy; and when I say wrapped, I mean they look like they're basically screwing on the dance floor.

"Rose, I'm leaving."

"Oh hey, Bella, this is Emmett. Say hi, Emmett"

"Hey."

"Hey" I say back. He seems…articulate.

"Look Rose, are you going to be okay? I'm going to get a cab home".

"Oh, I'll be fine, Bella."

"Okay, well call me when you get home." I yell over top of the extremely loud music.

"Okay, Bella, you call me when you get home safe, or I'll kill you," she smiles at Emmett. Well, at least one of us is having fun tonight.

* * *

**EPOV**

"What the hell? I'm startled from my slumber, "Smidge, what are you doing. How did you get in here?" She's standing over the top of me, keys swinging from her index finger.

"I ran into Tanya last night."

"Damn it, what is it with you women?" I scrub my face with my hands "What time is it?"

"Ten."

"In the morning?"

"Yeah, genius," she laughs. "How much did you have to drink last night, anyway?" Tossing the spare keys on my chest.

"Oh shit." I sprint off of the couch and up the stairs to the shower.

_I'm getting my phone back today, no if, ands, or buts._

I waltz back down stairs, fully dressed. Then, it hits me.

"Smidge, let me borrow your phone."

* * *

**BPOV**

_Buzz, buzz, buzz. _

I've had about enough of this. I should have turned the damned thing off_._

_No, you should have just left the damned thing at the store._

I grab the phone, and look at the screen.

"Smidge?" I scrunch my nose. What I do next is probably wrong on so many levels.

"Edward Cullen's phone?" I answer nervously, gnawing on my thumbnail.

"_Damn right_, this is Edward Cullen's phone. Who _is _this?"

_Oh shit he's pissed off. I'm sure the smirk is gone now._

"Um, Bella?" I say, questioningly. "Bella, the cashier from Starbuck's."

"Well… um… Bella from Starbuck's are you planning on returning my phone?" His voice is dripping with sarcasm.

"Of course…I can meet you at the store in about 30 mi…"

He cuts me off.

"No time, what's your address? I'll come to you."

_Huh, here? _

"Um…"

"I'd like my phone sometime today, Bella. No scratch that, I'd like my phone _now._ Address please?"

_He sounds really pissed off and sexy as hell._

"Earth to Bella."

"Um…yeah. It's 217 W. Newman St. Apt. 4B."

The line goes dead, my heart is racing, and I think I'm hyperventilating. "Oh my God, Oh my God, what did I do?"

One hand is over my mouth the other on my forehead_._

_He's coming here!_ There's no one to hear me, except for Sadie, looking at me with her head cocked.

"Okay, calm yourself Bella; he's just coming to get his phone." Then why am I standing in front of a mirror, yanking out my hair tie, fluffing my hair and checking my outfit?

"I look hideous. _Think _Bella". I must have been standing in front of the mirror longer than I thought, because the next thing I know, I'm pulled from my mindless chatter and futile primping, by a loud knock at the door.

Sadie is barking furiously. _Oh no! Oh God!_

"Sadie shush!" I order loudly, to no avail as she continues to run around barking. I give up on trying to calm her and knot my oversizedUniversity of Illinois t-shirt in an attempt to at least try and look what's accepted as presentable these days. I open the door and he's standing with his back to me, one hand in his hair the other on the pillar outside my door_. _He's obviously preoccupied by something else, as he doesn't hear me open the door. I widen the gap in the door and the squeak captures his attention, he turns swiftly.

"Um…hi …. Sadie, shush."

"Um…hi?" he asks, mockingly. "You're Bella." He states.

"Yes." I nod once.

"I believe you have something I want, and the smirk is back.

_He's flirting….damn him he's flirting! And I'm sure I'm blushing because the smirk now widens to show pearly whites. "Oh God, focus Bella"._

"Focus on what?"

_Shit I said that out loud._

"Nothing," I shake my head, I'm staring I can't help it, I can't pull my eyes away.

"Who's Sadie?"

"Huh?…Oh, Sadie's my dog." I say pushing Sadie back with my foot.

"Right." He says slowly and the spell is broken. "So, do you have my phone or not, Bella?

"Oh right, here it is," I hand it to him. "I brought it home accidently." He looks disinterested, while checking his phone for damages. "I'm sorry," I say quietly, my apology seems to pull him from his inspection, and he glances back at me.

"Yeah, well thanks again." The smirk's still in place and just like that, he retreats from my door, away from me, away from my life.

_Don't' go, stay forever. _

At least I had the good sense not to say that out loud.

I'm left standing looking like a complete idiot, gawking at his perfectly sculpted behind. I shake my head, "God I'm such an idiot," and I watch as he reaches his car, not giving me a second look. The tires screech as he guns it down the street, as if he has somewhere important to be.

I shut the door and walk over to the couch and sit down slowly.

_Why the hell do I feel so rejected? I mean it's not like he was coming to see me, he was just coming to get his precious phone._

I can't seem to get him out of my head. Maybe it was the way he was on the phone, so sexy, domineering, cocky even. _"Damn right this is Edward Cullen's phone." _ I smile to myself, or maybe it was the way he stood with his hand in his hair waiting for me to answer the door, or the delicious aroma that was coming off his skin, some kind of expensive cologne or aftershave. _Mmmm… he shaves, I wonder what he'd look like scruffy? _Or maybe it was the way he wore the sleeves of his wrinkle-free white, button-down shirt; pushed up slightly to his forearms, revealing the silver big-faced watch. And that hair, God, I love his hair, so vibrant and sexily disheveled. His green eyes, so piercing, they burn right through to my soul. He knows his effect on women. The smirk says so. He knows he's amazing; he knows all too well.

The ringing of my cellphone interrupts my thoughts. I rummage through my bag trying to find it. "Dad, hey"

"Hey yourself, kiddo, you sound weird what's going on there?" He's always on the defensive. "Everything's fine dad, just a little tired."

"Killing you over there at that fancy coffee place, huh?"

"Yeah, something like that, I laugh…he's so old fashioned. Charlie doesn't believe in all the new aged things, _cappuccino, iPods, computers, _he has no use for them_, _says they're a waste of time_, _and money. Once, Charlie told me, "Get what you want kid, moneys no object. Apparently his 'no object' has limitations. Hence, the red beast parked outside my door. I love the truck though, it gets me from point A to point B and it has plenty of room for Sadie.

"Well, it will do you good to have some vacation time away when you come here for the summer. When's your flight?"

"On Friday. I should arrive late afternoon, Sadie and I can't wait to see you dad." Charlie knows how much Sadie means to me. I don't want to leave her with Rose. She'd feel abandoned, and Rose would end up losing it. So Charlie chipped in, and along with the money I saved, she'll be able to join me on my trip to Fort Lauderdale. He's the best. I can't wait to spend the summer with him, the truth is, I need a change.

* * *

**_~~W~~_**

**End Note: **Thank you all for reading.


	3. Chap3 Planes, Parties, and Possibilities

**Chapter 3: Chapter3 Planes, Parties and Possibilities**

* * *

**Disclaimer: It's still much of the same "Steph owns…..Rob owns…."**

**BPOV**

Angela and I are in the middle of our routine for getting the store ready for the next shift. It's also getting closer for me to leave for my vacation.

"So, Bella when's your flight?"

"In two days, thank God. Rose is driving me to the airport."

I'm happy to be leaving Chicago for a while. It doesn't really feel like home to me. Angela and Rose are my best and only friends and I often feel lonely in this big city. I'm so introverted that it's difficult for me to meet new people. Rose made it so easy to get to know her and she's so easy to love. She's confident, ballsy, and gorgeous with an extreme potty mouth. She doesn't take crap from anyone. She's determined to be successful. She graduated last year from Depaul University with a Masters degree in business and she's very smart, unlike me. I just want to be a vet. I love animals. It's weird that someone like Rose would turn out to be my best friend. I met her two years ago at a fraternity party. She got into a bit of trouble and I sort of helped her out. She says I saved her life so I guess she feels like she owes me. Angela is completely different. She isn't exactly shy, but she's reserved with strangers. We both attended the University of Illinois and clicked almost immediately. Angela is a year older than me and lives with Mike, her boyfriend of two years. She's the best and someone I can trust with anything. I'm going to miss her this summer.

"Well I hope you make the most of it and have fun. God knows, you deserve it." Part of me believes her and the other part, not so much. "Yeah well it was nice of Mr. Yorkie to let me transfer to the store down there. That way I won't have any trouble finding a job."

"Work! Is that all you can think of?" She practically screams at me. " It's a summer vacation Bella. You should be having fun, and seeing new things. Doing all the things nineteen year olds are supposed to do."

She pauses and looks directly at me.

"Promise me you'll have fun, Bella. Go out and meet people. Meet a guy; have sex for god sakes."

"Oh boy, here we go." She totally ignores my interruption.

"When was the last time you had sex anyway?"

Having the sex talk always annoys me. The actual having sex part is good, I guess. I only have two experiences to compare. They were both spontaneous and unromantic. I would have preferred to be in a long lasting relationship when they happened, but that wasn't how it turned out. I'm not a goddess or anything in the bedroom. In fact I'm not very open to trying anything, except the obvious choices for sex; missionary position, no oral, and definitely _no_ anal. I guess I'm kind of what people would consider a prude. Don't get me wrong I like sex, but I have yet to have the kind sex that Rose describes as 'good enough that it makes you want to tie the guy up and never let him leave'. Nope, I'm sure I haven't experienced sex like that."

"You have a one track mind Ang."

"Yeah, and you don't, but you need to get one and fast, before your girly parts shrivel up and turn to dust."

My vagina always ends up being the brunt of some joke, courtesy of Rose and Angela. I roll my eyes.

"Seriously! We'll need to buy an urn, and have a little memorial…"

"Ok Ang." I'm so done with this conversation, but she apparently is not.

"Here lies Bella's vagina…."

"OK! I get it Angela. God you and Rose are obsessed with my under-used vagina." They mean well, but it irks the hell out of me.

"Well, use it and we won't be obsessed." Like I said I hated the sex talk.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Alice, is that you?"

"No Mom, it's me." I let the door shut behind me waiting for the verbal onslaught. I'm sure Tanya was very thorough.

"Oh, Edward sweetheart, in here."

I walk into the kitchen where my mother's looking over the wedding guest list. She's as bad as Alice with this whole thing. I mean 500 guests for a wedding? _Leave me out of it_. My mind is on other things at the moment. My mom's jawing away saying something about Tanya and being rude. When I finally come out of my mental haze, she's looking at me with her hands on her hips and eyebrows furrowed.

"Edward did you hear anything I said?"

_No. _

"Yes, and I agree Tanya was being extremely rude for breaking into my place and stalking me." I know the sarcasm will piss her off.

"Edward."

She's obviously not amused.

"You were the one who was being told me how you all but threw her out of the house, and that you wouldn't discuss the wedding with her. It was flat out disrespectful. Do I need to remind you of the importance of this marriage? You and Tanya are both heirs to your family's legacy. You are both rich and successful young people who are going to be a force to be reckoned with in this business. I will not tolerate you treating this wedding like it's a game, Edward. Cullen Oil and the Denali business are huge, lucrative conglomerates and both companies stand to gain a lot from the biggest merger this coast has ever seen. It will be the most powerful union in the State of Ilinois, with you and Tanya at the helm. You will _not _ruin this, Edward. I won't allow it.

I'm fuming. _How in the hell does she think she can just control my life. She's insane if she thinks I'm going to let her do that._

"Look, don't worry. I'll play my part in this farce of a wedding. I'll put on a polite smile and shake all 500 of the wedding guests' hands if need be; hell I'll even produce an heir, but what I will not do is let you, Dad or Tanya fucking Denali control my life. That goes for momma and poppa Denali as well. The wedding is where it ends."

I didn't want any of this, and I sure as hell didn't want to marry Tanya. Nor did I want Cullen Oil, but I knew how much my parents invested into this entire wedding/merger, and therefore so would I. Let's face it I'm good at what I do, the best. I single handedly saved Cullen Oil from local and global raiders. I did what my father couldn't do. I charmed Tanya to the point where her parents pushed for this ridiculous marriage, all for the sake of the rich getting richer. I hadn't expected them to go as for as a marriage merger. I had only intended to make nice with Tanya so that they wouldn't be a problem for Cullen Oil's growth and success. I'd be happy to relinquish all ties to Cullen Oil to James, but he isn't my father's son; a hell of a businessman, but not Cullen blood. That's the deal-breaker for my father.

"You watch your language when you speak to me, Edward Masen Cullen! I will not have you speaking to me using that filth. Not in my home! Not anywhere! Is that clear?"

"Yeah, crystal clear, just as long as it's clear to you that this is _my _life and I'll do what _I _want. Especially with regards to my so called fiancée."

"No one is trying to control your life, Edward. I'm just asking you to be a little more respectful of Tanya. She is going to be your wife in every sense of the word. This will work out." Her eyes travel south and she yells, "What the hell happened to my floor!"

.

.

.

I walk out on the patio where James and Alice are sitting by the pool.

"Is Dad back yet?" I ask, approaching them.

"Hey bro, what's up?"

"Nothing is up. I just need to speak with him before we head out."

"Try the study. You know he's always in there, reading and obsessing over shit." He resumes his conversation with Alice.

.

.

.

I knock on the door and poke my head in.

"You busy?"

"No, come in son. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to touch base with you before James and I head out tomorrow."

"Is everything on schedule with Denali?"

"Yeah, it was pretty much a done deal when James brought the final papers."

"He's really come into his own huh?" He says staring out of the window, smiling to himself.

"Just the way you taught him, Dad." I sigh, irritated with his praise.

James is the oldest. We have different fathers. My mother already had James when she met my father. None of us really know anything about James' biological father. I think my parents just want to keep everyone in the dark. James doesn't care one way or the other. Carlisle and Esme both came from wealthy families. They fell in love, got married and my dad raised James as his own, against his parents' wishes. They said it was a disgrace that he would even consider being with someone that had a child out of wedlock, let alone raise said child as his own, as a Cullen. They disowned him, taking away his trust fund and access to the family business. Mom's parents were different. They accepted him. They thought he was a good and noble man, mostly because he loved their daughter enough to take on a son that wasn't his. They also knew what he gave up to be with her, so welcomed him into the family, and not just the family, but also into the family business. It wasn't enough for him. He wanted something to call his own, longed for a family legacy. That's when Cullen Oil was created with my father's experience and Mom's money. He wanted an empire and a son, but James wasn't enough. Yes, he loved him, but he wasn't a Cullen. One year after they married, I was born, a purebred Cullen.

My father really thought he was doing something good by raising us this way, ruthless and manipulative. You'd think James is his biological son. Shit, he's a carbon copy of my father. I can be a coldhearted bastard, but I wanted more than this life. I wasn't sure what I wanted, but after twenty-three years in this family, I've now decided that I want more. I need to get out of here.

* * *

"Look at the way her ass moves in that tight little skirt." James leans over and whispers to me. He's commenting on the blonde airline stewardess who's making her way back down the isle, after he had her make three trips just to look at her ass.

"Are you a pig all the time man, or is it only on special occasions like these, when we're flying first class?"

He looks confused, and then answers. "We always fly first class,"

I have my answer. He slouches down, getting comfortable.

"Seriously Edward, you need to relax. This is what this trip is all about. Soak up some sun, party, get drunk and fuck like wild animals, bro. You don't have much longer. August will be here before you know it."

He sits back up, looking me directly in the eyes.

"Honestly what's your problem Edward? You're a rich, powerful, somewhat handsome guy. The hair is a little distracting, but other than that, you'll pass," he says swatting the tips of my hair. He's obviously having jealousy issues.

"Have some fun before you have to rein yourself in. We have a month before its back to business, then you can brood all you want, once you're attached at the hip to your annoying new bride."

He resumes his slouching position, this time resting his head back and closing his eyes. He sighs. "Although, Tanya isn't half bad, you could do a lot worse. I bet her sexy little body can do a shit load of tricks."

"This conversation is over James." I say, resting my head back as well.

"Whatever, I'm getting some beauty sleep. Wake me up when we land."

I've never been happier to see someone sleep. He's right about one thing. Tanya is hot, but she doesn't do it for me. Sure, I can have fun with her, and I'm certain that I will. Fucking her won't be a problem, but like the man said, she's annoying as fuck. I just need to get away from my family, Tanya and this wedding shit, or it will consume me.

* * *

**BPOV**

"Bella call me as soon as you land, okay? I'm going to miss you so much, and call me everyday, okay? Oh and have fun or I'll kick your ass."

"Rose you're squeezing the life out of me," I say, choking slightly. I'll miss her terribly. "Bye Barbie, I'm going to miss you too."

"You won't miss me, I won't give you time to." She finally turns me loose, I quickly kiss her cheek and grab my 'pull-along' and start toward the gate.

"Hey Bella, I put a little present in your suitcase. I hope you get good use out of it." She yells over her shoulder as she disappears into the crowd. I know that gift means nothing but trouble.

"And remember Bella, sex between two people is a beautiful thing, but between three, it's fanfuckingtastic!" She giggles. "I love you." She yells and I gasp. People are staring at me with their mouths open. I'm so embarrassed.

I sit quietly in one of the corner seats, looking out of the window and think back…

_**Flashback**_

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!  
Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh!  
Caught in a bad romance

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!  
Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh!  
Caught in a bad romance

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah!  
Roma-Roma-ma-ah!  
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!  
Want your bad romance

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah!  
Roma-Roma-ma-ah!  
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!  
Want your bad romance…

_My head's pounding, probably due the loud music and the single beer I've had. There's way too much alcohol at this party._

"_She says she wants to do both of us man! Sam, look at her! She wants it, she's so fucking hot!"_

_I hear them talking. They're saying the most vile and disgusting things, about what they're going to do, and how they're going to do it. I need to stop this, but I don't know how. I can't let this happen. This isn't who I am or how I've been raised; but my voice doesn't seem to want to cooperate with what my mind's telling me, screaming at me._

"_Are you ready to go gorgeous?" The shorthaired blonde guy says._

"_Is your friend coming too?"_

"_He's a little shy it seems, but if anyone can convince him, it's you baby."_

"_That won't be a problem, I promise he'll warm up to me in no time. I'll meet you upstairs?"_

"_Yeah, we're right behind you, beautiful. Don't start without us." _

"_Now I can't promise that."_

_This is so wrong, on so many levels. Why can't I stop this? I know what they're going to do, but I can't clear my head long enough to stop what's about to happen. _

_The walk up the stairs seems interminable, the voices from the party downstairs is fading and the rhythmic thumping of the music reverberates in my ears. The voices of the two despicable males are becoming louder, the closer I get. _

"_Come on man stop being such a pussy! She wants this! And if you're not up for this, then don't hold me up. She's in there waiting. What's it gonna be?"_

"_Are you sure she said both of us, Riley?_

"_Look man, come upstairs with me and see for yourself. If she's not into it, then you can go, but I'm telling you she said both of us. Are you coming or not?_

_My mind's racing. What the hell am I  
doing? I have to get out of here._

_I hear the click of the door._

"_You ready for us baby?_

"_What took you so long, I almost started without you."_

"_I can see that. Do you need any help with that skirt? _

"_I could use some, besides I'm ready to feel your hands all over me"._

"_Come here…. Hmmm your body feels so soft."_

"_What about your friend, you don't want to leave him out, do you"?_

"_His name's Sam. He's a little nervous. Maybe you can break him out of it."_

"_Do you like what you see, Sam?"_

"_Um, Yeah."_

"_Do you like the way he's rubbing my breasts, the way he's kissing my neck? Do you want to touch me like that, Sam?_

"_Yeah."_

"_Touch me, Sam."_

_Oh my God! I have to stop this now! (I open the door, slamming it into the wall)_

"_Get the hell off of her!" I scream._

"_What the fuck! Riley, man I told you this was a bad idea!_

"_Bitch, this is my house. Mind your own fucking business and get out of here!_

"_You've got two seconds before I start dialing my father, the Police Chief._

"_You're bluffing. Besides she wanted this, and your father is not the Chief of Police." The shorthaired, blonde guy says, pulling up his pants._

"_He _is _the Police Chief in Fort Lauderdale, and all I have to do is tell him about what just went on here, and he'll call in a favor. Do you want to try me, Riley? I want to let him know that I did catch his name._

"_Fuck!" Let's go man."_ _The dark-haired guy says, bolting through the door, with the Riley douche close on his heels. I turn my attention back to the bed where she's sitting with her face in her hands, quietly sobbing. I walk over to her slowly and sit on the bed next her, being careful not to frighten her. I put my hand on her shoulder._

"_It's okay. You're going to be alright." She raises her head to look at me then shocks the hell out of me._

"_Why did you come up here?" she practically yells. "I'm not a baby. I knew what I was doing!"_

"_You're drunk, and they were going to take advantage of you. I heard them talking about you before you came up here. They were going to… rape_ _you." I lower my voice to practically a whisper. I can barely say the word. She continues to confuse me with her response. She throws her head back and laughs maniacally. _

"_You are naïve aren't you? They weren't going to rape me! I wanted them to do it, and where the hell do you get off sticking your nose in my business?_

_I don't understand why she's so angry with me. I was just trying to stop them from hurting her. "Why would you want them to do that to you?" I'm so confused._

"_Oh shut up. You don't know me. Don't you dare judge me."_

"_I wasn't judging you I was trying to help…"_

"_Well who the hell asked you, huh? I don't need some little naïve, stupid virgin girl who doesn't even know the difference between a threesome and rape, to try and save me!_

_At this point she's stumbling around the room trying to gather up her clothing. _

"_Are you hurt? Can I take you somewhere, maybe to a hospital?"_

"_I cannot fucking believe this! Did you hear what I said?_ _I wasn't raped!"_ _She practically shouts in my face; she's so angry with me and I just wanted to help her. I don't understand why she'd willingly put herself in a situation like this. Maybe I am naïve. She stumbles toward the door with her purse crushed against her chest. She's obviously not going to make it to where she's trying to go, hell she isn't going to make it to the stairs without falling down them. I run over to the door to help her._

"_Oh God I'm gonna be sick." She retches._

_She falls to her knees and throws up all over the floor, herself, and me. _

_Great!_

"_Oh my God, are you okay?_

_She's still retching, and I hold her hair back from her face until she's done. There's no chance of making it to the toilet._

"_Oh God." she groans. She's such a mess; I have to get her out of here. I know I'm about to have a fight on my hands, but I can't just leave her here, especially not in the condition she's in. I glance around the room for something to wipe her face and the front of my shirt with. I grab for the towel that's on the end of the bed and clean us both as best I can. I throw the soiled towel back on the bed and help her up._

"_I'm getting you out of here, and I wasn't bluffing earlier about calling my father. He is a Police Chief, and if you fight me on this, I'll call him and he'll send someone here, and we'll all be in a world of trouble. Do you want that? She looks at me wide-eyed and shakes her head._

"_Me neither. He will definitely go ape shit. Let's go." _

W_e laboriously make our way down the stairs, stumbling and nearly falling down half of them. We manage to squeeze past a sea of heavily intoxicated and horny college kids, and luckily, we don't see the sleaze named Riley or his sidekick._

"_So where are we going"? Her voice is hoarse from all the drinking and puking. The smell in the car is putrid._

"_Um, to my apartment unless you have some place you want me to take you to." She shakes her head and conversation ends for the rest of the car ride._

_We arrive at my apartment, and I shut off the engine, get out and walk around to the passenger door._

"_Are you okay to walk?_

"_Why, are you gonna carry me or something?" she asks sarcastically rolling her eyes at the same time._

"_No, I meant okay to walk by yourself, I could help you."_

"_I'm fine." She holds one hand up. I reach my front door and fumble with the key in the stupid lock. Finally I open the door and flip on the light switch. She walks past me to the couch and flops down. I don't know why it takes Sadie so long to recognize my presence, although I'm sure that my shredded pillows on the couch should probably give me a clue and most probably mirrors what my bedroom looks like. She always makes a mess when I leave her alone for too long. Finally, she takes the inopportune moment to come charging down the stairs and jumps right onto our new guest._

"_Ahh!" she screams. "Get it off me!"_

"_Sadie! Down girl, come on." Sadie's still a puppy so she's constantly looking for a game. I grab her chew toy and toss it her way. That should occupy her for a while._

"_Now I know I need a shower, ugh! She brushes at her clothes._

"_You can use the shower if you want. I'll show you where it is." _

"_Use whatever you need. I'll just go and get you something clean to wear." I pull the door shut and hear the shower taps start running. I quickly go to my room and grab some clean sweats and place them neatly on the bed, thanking God that Sadie left the room in one piece. I walk back to the bathroom, and I hear her sobbing; I'm hesitant, but want to make sure she's okay, so I knock softly. _

"_Are you ok?"_

"_I'm fine! " She snaps loudly, her voice ringing with impatience. "Can't I take a shower in peace!"_

"_Sorry, I just heard you crying and I just wanted to m…"_

"I'm not crying_!"_

_I know I'm not going to win this fight, so I decide to just give her privacy. Whatever she wants to do next, is fine with me._

"_Um, okay I left you some clean clothes on my bed. It's to your right when you come out of the bathroom." She gives no reply._

_I open the fridge, gathering things to make a sandwich. I open a can of chicken noodle soup, just in case her stomach is still unsettled. She enters the kitchen with her head down and sits at one of the two chairs. With all the make-up scrubbed off, she looks like a frightened little girl. I'm familiar with that girl._

"_Are you hungry? I made ham and cheese sandwiches, and heated chicken noodle soup. I could make coffee?"_

"_Do you have any bottled water?"_

"_Sure. You should try eating something though, I'm sure your stomach is begging for something after empting it all over that prick's carpet." She looks up and half smiles at me. I pour some soup into a bowl and slide it in front of her._

"_I'm not an invalid. I can open my own water, and spoon my own soup."_

"_Maybe I just don't want you touching my stuff," I say trying to keep things as light as possible. She smiles a little more this time._

"_Who the fuck are you, Martha Stewart or someone?" she asks, while sipping her soup. "This is good."_

"_It's from a can so your Martha Stewart assessment is slightly off. I'm Bella." I stick out my hand and wait for her to take it. She stares at it like I have some sort of foreign substance on it. Then she takes it._

"_I'm Rosalie."_

_**End of flashback**_

_Now boarding, flight number2303 to Fort Lauderdale._

I jump, having been interrupted from my trip down memory lane and grab my things and make my way to board. My seat is less than desirable, situated between giggling twin girls, who I just know, are going to make my trip a nightmare. I settle in and resolve to make the best of it, consoling myself to the fact that two and a half hours is not a life sentence.

_Wonderful._

_._

_._

_._

"_Welcome to beautiful Fort Lauderdale where it is a comfortable eighty seven degrees. Please keep your seatbelts fastened until the aircraft comes to a complete and safe landing._"

I wake to the sound of the pilot's voice alerting me to our arrival. I gaze out of the window and quickly close the shade. The last thing I want to do is hurl all over the giggle sisters and myself. Stretching out my limbs, I can't believe I actually slept through the whole flight.

"_We will be arriving in about ten minute. We hope you've had a wonderful flight and thank you for flying Delta. _I start to gather my carry on and iPod, preparing to finally be reunited with my dad.

.

.

.

"Dad!"

"Hey kiddo!" I hug my dad for what seems like an eternity. It's been six months since I've seen him. I've missed him so much.

"How was your flight, Sweetheart? Did you get any rest?"

"Yes and yes," I smile up at him.

"Ready to go Bells?"

"Yup, can't wait to be back home."

"How 'bout lunch first, we can go to that deli you like so much."

"Ok, but my treat though. You've already done enough helping me get Sadie here. Thank you so much dad." I reach up and hug him again.

"It's no problem, Sweetheart. So, when is the little mutt arriving anyway?"

"Hey, Sadie's no mutt. She's a purebred German Shepherd!" I know he's joking with me, he knows how much I love that dog. He's the one who insisted on me having a dog. I guess that's why he made sure it was a Shepherd. Genuine police dog, you know.

"Okay, okay, don't bite my head off." He says while holding up his hands. "I was only kidding. You know I'm glad you have her to keep you company. She's a good watch dog too." We continue chatting, making our way out of the airport..

.

.

.

"So what's the plan for you this summer, Bells?" he asks, loading his burger up with an obscene amount of catsup.

"Um, I haven't thought of anything concrete that I would want to do, except work and spending time with you of course." I smile at him, taking the bottle from his hand gently as if it's a loaded gun. He really does need to eat a little healthier. I'll make sure of that while I'm here.

"Well you should have some time for your self. Meet people and hang out. Have some fun this summer. Maybe take up fishing," not looking up from his plate, he smiles to himself.

"Dad…you know I hate fishing!"

* * *

**Epov**

_Finally, I think to my self as James and I arrive at the beach house._

I'm burnt out and wound up at the same time. The little amount of sleep I got on plane didn't do anything to make me feel better. In addition to that, Tanya's been calling my phone non-stop.

"Hello?"

"_Why haven't you answered my calls, Edward?"_

"I was on the plane, Tanya, it's not allowed. Anyway, what the hell is so urgent that you feel the need to call me so many times?

_Christ! How am I going to deal with this for the rest of my life?_

I continue bickering with Tanya for what seems like hours, and I still can't fathom why she had to call me many times. I didn't realize until this moment, just how happy I'd be to have gotten the hell away from her for the next month or so.

"Listen Tanya, I just arrived at the beach house, and I'm extremely exhausted. I'll call you later, once I'm settled."

"_Fine Edward, you just make certain that it's not too much later."_

_Is she threatening me? _

It wouldn't be the first time that she or one of her parents has tried that with me. Once, her father told me if I did anything to hurt his precious Tanya, he'd grind my balls into sawdust. He has quite the flair for the dramatic.

"Don't ever threaten me again, Tanya. I'll call you later." As I'm ending the call, James is in the middle of one.

"I'll pick you up later, Vic," he says, while unpacking his smaller suitcase and throwing the contents all over the sofa. I'm sure that's the infamous sex date my brother's setting up for tonight.

_Good. Now I don't have to worry about him worrying about whom I will, or will not be fucking tonight._

I never have a problem finding women to engage in some extra curricular activities if I want it, and I do want it, but what I don't want, is to deal with all the clinginess and the whining after the sex is done. Why can't I ever find someone who just wants a casual hook-up occasionally; they always wants more, but that 'more' is already reserved for Tanya, and there's no getting out of it.

"Hey man, I'd be happy to call Victoria back and get her to hook you up with one of her friends," he says, ending the call."

"No thanks." I answer quickly holding up one hand. "Besides I know Vic, and I sure as hell know you, and there's no way that I'm going to be '_hooked_-_up'_ with one of your _friend's, friends," _I say sarcastically. "If I want hook ups, I'm sure I can find my own, and please tell me you're not using the beach house to screw her. I don't want to walk in and see Victoria bent over any article of furniture in this house."

Victoria is sex on legs. She's also the type woman you don't want to piss off, a major bitch, and that's putting it nicely. James is the only one who seems able to handle her, in more ways than one. They always seem to have these _hook-ups, _as he so intelligently labels them every time we come to Florida. I personally, don't see how he hasn't become bored with her. I sure did. Victoria and I only fucked a couple of times, and that was before she and James started seeing each other, if that's even what they're calling it. They fuck a lot. She means nothing more than that to him, and I have both of them to deal with for the next month or so. Maybe I should look into getting a hotel room, or spending some time on the yacht. There are bound to be nights when I'll be bringing company home, and I don't want to come in and find those two humping like two horny teenagers.

"Relax man, we won't be here, but if you change your mind about that friend…"

"I won't."

That ends our conversation.

.

.

.

Getting around in Center City down here sucks. It's busy as hell and overcrowded. I'm becoming irritated, I don't know why exactly, but the feeling is lingering and I need something to mellow me out. Little do I know that I am soon to realize exactly what that 'something' is.

I walk through the door, James in tow, yapping about what, I'm not sure. I approach the counter.

"Welcome to Starbucks. I'm Jessica, what can I get for you today?" The most annoying female I've ever come in contact with, asks. She beats Tanya in that department, and that's a hard task to accomplish. I can tell by the way she's smiling at me that she isn't this chipper with most of her customers. She's way too eager to please, and is practically bouncing up and down like a Chihuahua, waiting on a jerky treat. Her smile tells me everything; a smile that says '_spread me across this counter and totally fuck me into oblivion'_. That won't be happening. I place my order and make my way over to one of the booths. James follows with what looks like a complete meal.

"Who the hell orders a complete dinner in the afternoon from Starbucks, James?" l look at him like he's lost his mind. He replies with his mouth full of food.

"I was hungry, plus I had to accommodate your ridiculous pretty boy obsession Edward." He gestures towards my cup." I would have been much happier at a Mickey D's or something." I roll my eyes at his attempt at street talk, and continue sipping my coffee. "Anyway what are you going to do about that?"

"I'm not obsessed. I just enjoy it." I watch him scarf down panini's, scones _and _wraps, and I instantly feel ill.

"Not _that_ idiot. I'm talking about the brunette that's making her way over here."

_What_ _does he_ _mean_? _Wait, what brunette? Oh God not her!_ _Does_ s_he_ _think_ _I_'_m_ _going_ _to_ _acknowledge_ _her_ _blatant_ _attempts_ _at_ f_lirtation? _

She isn't even my type. She's way too eager to please and a little to hyper for my liking.

"Here you are sir, you left your drink over on the counter." She says handing James his cup, never taking her eyes off me.

_Oh what_ _the_ _hell._ _I'll_ _play_ _along_.

Focusing on her nametag, I'm sure she thought I was looking at her breast. "Jessica," I lick my lips slowly and wink, thank you." I say, finishing with a smile. Stumbling backwards she says ,'_you're welcome'_ and '_it was my pleasure'_ and resumes her place behind the register, her eyes still focused on me. I turn my attention back to my drink, and James is watching me suspiciously with his arms folded across his chest and a snide smirk.

"You're so going to fuck her. You'll be in her panties by the end of the week."

I disregard him with a shake of my head, and he continues eating his lunch. I smile to my self, pleased that my acute hearing, which makes it possible to listen in on conversations not meant for my ears, allows me to pick up on one happening at the counter right now.

"Are you kidding me? Oh my God, did you see him?" The two continue their conversation, oblivious to the fact that I'm listening. "Are you blind Bella? He's gorgeous." My head snaps up and I turn in the direction of the name that has come to be so familiar to me; and I'm met with a pair of wide, brown eyes.

* * *

**_~~W~~_**

**Thank you for reading. If you haven't already,Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4, That's Interesting

**Chapter 4: Chapter4 That's interesting**

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**Disclaimer: Stephanie owns it all. I just want to own Rob for a day. (One teeny, tiny day).**

**Chapter 4**

**BPOV**

I can already tell that this is going to be a very different experience from what I was used to in Chicago.

Charlie has been nice enough to let me borrow his truck to get to work and back. We've had a nice reunion, talking all day and laughing all night. I wasn't surprised to see my room hadn't changed at all. I mean really, I'm a nineteen-year old woman and he still has my room made up like it was when I was sixteen; he really needs to let me grow up. At least I can behave like an adult and contribute something by going to work. If Charlie had his way I'd be spending this vacation doing just that, _vacationing_.

When I first walked into my new surroundings, it felt comforting with the same overall feel as that of my Chicago workplace. I thought things would be fine, but I learned right away that the people I would be working with are very different, especially Jessica. She's sarcastic, conceited, and a flat out, pardon my French, bitch. I knew she was trouble from the moment I walked in the door, and she started ordering me around like I was her minion. Luckily, she seemed more satisfied with me working in the back than out in front. I don't want to deal with her at all after the way she acted this morning. But I have no choice now as she grabs me by my arm and yanks me out to the front. I have no idea why she's touching me, or what has her so excited; I've no reason to believe she wants to be friends.

"You have got to see the most amazing man." She says, literally bouncing.

"I'm sure he's amazing Jessica, but I have a ton of stuff to do if I'm going to get out of here on time."

Its not that I don't want to see him, I'm just not crazy about Jessica. One minute she's rolling her eyes and speaking down at me, and the next she's all '_You've got to see the most amazing man.'_ What? Is she nuts? I mean her mood swings are really starting to give me whiplash.

She obviously chooses to ignore my protests, because she isn't giving up until I at least agree that he is '_the most amazing man'_. So, I give up or rather give in and finally take a peek at what has her so hot and bothered, and I'm floored by what I see. It's _him_. No, it can't be. Can it? I stand there, stiff as a board, silently willing myself to do something or to say something, or at least move my body; hell to run and hide, but I can't move. All the while, I can hear Jessica rambling in my ear; something about how hot he is and that she's going to have him. My mouth goes dry, and I'm starting to hyperventilate or at least think I am. My chest is heaving, and I blink my eyes rapidly, thinking that I may be hallucinating.

What's he doing here? He's probably here on some sort of business, and he does like his Starbucks, but how ironic. I finally get some control over my thoughts, enough to hear Jessica say, "Are you kidding me? Did you see him?" And see him I do, and _holy shit_, he sees me too. He's staring; he's surprised to see me also. You would never know it though, but I can tell by the way he's watching me that he's surprised to see me, maybe even a little happy.

I know I have to get back to work, but how am I supposed to concentrate with him sitting over there. Maybe I'll find a reason to walk past his table….'_and then what? Hope that he says, aren't you the girl who stole my phone?'_ He'll probably think I'm stalking him. Oh God, this can't be happening. Angela will never believe this. _I don't believe this._

"Bella, can you switch the menu specials on the door?"

"Um, sure Jessica." And right on cue, he gets ready to leave. He walks toward the door; toward me. I can feel my body start to heat up, and my palms are sweating. _Gross! _ He stops when he reaches me. He looks at me, somewhat confused.

"Do you have a twin or something?" He cocks his head slightly to one side.

"No." I whisper nervously, and I barely recognize my own voice.

"Are you following me?" Now he's amused.

"No." I smile, feeling my cheeks start to heat up, bowing my head. "I guess it's just a coincidence."

I'm suddenly, interested in what my footwear looks like. God, what must he think? I'm a complete and utter mess.

"One hell of a coincidence I'd say." He smiles at me over his shoulder, as he heads toward the door.

What the hell just happened? I watch him and the gorgeous blonde- haired guy take off in the shiny black car. And better yet, why does he always leave me this way, flustered and talking to myself? I laugh out loud, smacking the palm of my hand against my forehead.

_God_ _get_ _a_ _grip,_ _Bella_. I can't. My want to see this man again is consuming me. I want to see that smile. I want to smell his fragrance. I want to hear his voice. I'm gone. So gone, I'm never coming back.

"So what did I tell you, he's hot right?" I whirl around like I'm a child being caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I open my mouth, but she doesn't wait for me to reply.

"I wonder if he's seeing anyone? I don't care. If he comes in here again, he's mine."

My feelings crystalize, and I realize that I don't want him to come back to this store, ever again.

I'm sitting on the bench with one foot tucked under me and the other swinging back and forth. It's a nice little park located across from the store where I decide to take my break. It's so warm. The sun feels good on my face, not too hot, just perfect. I'm having erotic and slightly murderous thoughts at the same time. Images of Edward and Jessica going at it in ways I don't want to ever know about, and me grabbing her by the hair and tearing it out by the roots, are running through my mind. "I really need to get out more." I sigh loudly. What happens, next nearly knocks me off that bench.

"I can help with that." My head whips round at the sound of his voice. _Velvety smooth, like warm, melted chocolate Sweet Jesus. _He stands, leaning over me slightly, smiling that smile that I was just obsessing about.

"Huh?" God, I sound like the proverbial idiot.

"I said, I could help with that."

"Help with what?" I furrow my eyebrows.

_Oh no! Did I say something totally embarrassing, out loud? I do have the tendency to exercise my word vomit at the wrong moments._

"You said you needed to get out more, right?"

He heard that? How long has he been standing here, and what else did he hear? That warm feeling I was having earlier; is back. He's making me nervous. I play with a non-existent thread on my skirt. I'm racking my brain, trying to see if there's anything I might have said that would make him think I'm either a psycho or a pervert, but he puts an end to those thoughts.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asks, sitting down next to me.

_So nervous_! Great, he's a mind reader as well as an eavesdropper.

"Yes, I mean, no." I quickly recover. The last thing I want is to let him know was that he's getting to me, but I'm failing miserably.

"Then why won't you look at me?"

_I am looking at him. Aren't I? Nope, there's that non-existent thread again. _

I raise my head to look at him and that's weird, the smile is gone. Its been replaced by pursed lips and a slight scowl. Is he annoyed at me?

"So, how did you end up here?" he asks.

"Um, I'm here on vacation, visiting my father." I clear my throat. "What about you?"

"What about me?" he says, looking straight ahead, his hair blowing slightly in the breeze.

I clear my throat for the second time and take a different approach. "Are you here on business?" He turns to look back at me.

"No." is all he says. I wait, but he says nothing else. I duck my head again. Maybe that was the wrong thing to ask.

"So, what's the story with the hyperactive brunette in there?" he asks, clearly not interested in the subject I raised.

He nods his head in the direction of the store. He's asking about _her_. My heart sinks. There's a lump in my throat so big, I feel like I could choke. Is he interested in _her_? I know Jessica is the kind of girl guys would want. Walking around with her boobs served up like…

"I think she's interested in me. What do you think?" he asks, looking directly at me. "You think if I asked her to dinner she would accept?" The more he talks, the bigger the lump gets.

I feel like I'm being stomped in the gut. He comes over here to ask me about _Jessica_? Of course, he does. Why would I even think that he would give me a second thought?

"I don't know." I don't look up, I can't. He'd see it. The hurt and rejection I feel, but it doesn't stop me from saying what's going on in my head.

"I think she's interested in you," I say, so lowly that I don't think he hears. He nods his head and stands up, preparing to walk away, but not before he turns to me and says the most confusing thing.

"I think I'm interested in someone else."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

_**End Note:**_ This is all reedited so I won't bore you except only to say more chapters will be posted soon.


	5. Chapter 5, New Friends, Old Feelings

**Chapter 5: Chapter 5** New **Friends, Old Feelings**

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**Disclaimer: It's still the same. :-(**

**BPOV**

'_I think I'm interested in someone else.'_

I sit there, stunned. I know I'm reading too much into this. The alarm on my phone tells me that my break is over, but my mind is in overdrive. Did I just imagine this whole thing? Was he serious? He sure looked serious, but what does it mean? He said something about dinner. Would he ask me? I must be insane. There's no way this guy could want someone like me. No way.

I pull up to the driveway. Charlie's police cruiser is here. I hope he gets to stay for dinner tonight. There's always seems to be some emergency that needs his immediate attention. "Dad?" I say, walking through the door.

"In here, Bells."

"Hey dad." He's sitting at the table, shoving some sort of quick-fix dinner into his mouth, so dinner together is out of the question.

"You're on your way out?"

"Yeah, Sweetie, I have a ton of paper work that I've been putting off for too long. We'll do something this weekend, maybe go see the Rays play. You up for it?"

"Yeah, sure." I'm more than happy to go to a baseball game with him. I love hanging out with my dad at the games. We have fun doing things like that. I haven't been to a game in so long, and I can be the biggest tomboy sometimes. I guess Charlie gets the best of both worlds.

"Good. Well, I've got to get going, Bells. He starts heading toward the door then stops and turns to me. Sorry, how was work?"

"It was good." What a liar I am. It was fabulous. He walks over and kisses my forehead.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, the fleabag is out in the backyard," he says with a smirk.

Sadie's here! How is she? She's not traumatized, is she?" I know I'm overreacting, but I've been worried about her ever since I left Chicago.

"Bella, relax, she's fine; probably tearing up the yard or something. I've got go. I'll be home around midnight."

After seeing Charlie off to work, playtime with Sadie begins. I peek out of the backyard door and sure enough, she's completely turned all the dirt in the backyard over. _What am I going to do with this dog!_

"Sadie!"

.

.

.

I clean the kitchen. There isn't much to do as Charlie barely spent any time at home this week. I don't feel like cooking for only one, and I settle on ordering a pizza and calling Angela

"Bella! Hey!"

"Hey Ange! How are you?

"Bored." I can almost hear the roll of her eyes.

"Where's Mike?" I ask, laughing.

"He's out with his obnoxious friends. I'm kind of glad we're spending the evening apart. He's starting to drive me nuts; maybe I should've gone there with you. Have you met any cute guys yet? No, forget that, have you met any hot men yet?" I smile at her correction.

"Um…Yeah, one actually. Well technically we've met, but I'm not seeing him or anything…I mean…I've seen him...but we're not…" I'm stumbling over my words, and I'm only talking to Angela. _What is this man doing to me?_ He definitely did not ask me out, but does he want to? I guess I'll never know.

"Bella, slow down, you're rambling. Now, tell me whom you met? Is he cute?"

"Cute doesn't even begin to describe him Ange." _That's the understatement of the decade.'_

"Interesting, is he older?"

"I'm not sure. I think he might be in his early to mid twenties."

"What about his body? Is he fit, athletic?"

"He's perfect, Ange. Everything is perfect."

"Wow! Sooooo, when are you going out with him?"

"He hasn't asked."

"Well what _did_ he say, Bella and quit being so damned secretive, give me details."

"I'm not being secretive. He just…he hasn't approached me in that way…I think." I frown at my own idiocy.

"What the hell do you mean _you think_? Either he approached you, or he _didn't_. Tell me exactly what he said."

I know I'm sounding crazy to her. I'm sounding crazy to myself.

"Well, there was this whole situation at the store with this other girl I work with, named Jessica. I thought he was interested in her, but when I talked to him, he said he was interested in someone else."

"Okay, well how did he say it?"

"Angela, I just told you what he said." I sigh.

"Okay, okay. Was he smiling at you when he said this?"

"Yes." _He's always smiling or smirking._

"All right, listen to me, maybe you need to make the first move. He sounds like he's just playing hard to get, teasing you. Ask him out.

"There's something I didn't tell you…"

"What"?

"You remember that guy whose iPhone I had?"

"Yeah, he hasn't been back in here since. Why?"

"Well, he hasn't been there because he's here."

"What?" she sounds confused, which I'm sure she is.

"That guy whose phone I had and the guy that I met, are one and the same, Angela."

"What!"

My voice rises, punctuating each word. "He's. The. Same. Guy!"

"You're kidding!" she gasps. "He's there in Florida?"

"No, I'm not kidding and yes, he's here in Florida and Ange, I can't stop thinking about him. He's always smiling at me and popping up out of nowhere, and he smells amazing and has the most incredible looking ass..." I'm on a roll, extolling all the attributes of this guy; a guy about whom, I'm harboring all these chaste and unchaste thoughts. I pull the phone away just as Angela sends an ear splitting squeal down the phone.

"Bella! Oh my God! You have to ask him out. This is fate; do you know that? Don't make me hop on a plane and come down there. Ask him!"

"Angela, I don't even know if he's coming back to the store. I wouldn't even know what to say. Besides, I'm not his type."

"He's a man right?"

I know where she's going with this.

"Yeah."

"You're a woman, right?"

"Last time I checked, Ange." I answer sarcastically.

"Then you're his type."

"Ange, he's rich," I reply with a whine.

"So, you're not trying to marry him and take all of his money, you're just having fun. Ask him Bella. Shit, that's Mike on the other line. I've go to go, Bella. I'll call you tomorrow to get an update. Love you, bye."

"Bye, Ange. Tell Mike I said hi."

I end the call and tap the phone against my chin, thinking about everything Angela said. _I couldn't possibly ask him out. Could I?_ No. I don't do things like that. I can visualize it now. He'd be doubled over; clutching his stomach and laughing his gorgeous head off. I'm _not_ humiliating myself like that. I'm not _that _naïve.

.

.

.

I wake up the next morning feeling…odd; not odd in a bad way, but in a totally relaxed and contented way. It must be because of the comfortable mattress, but who's complaining? I stretch my body out fully. This feels so much better than my bed back home. I drag myself out of bed and head to the shower.

Finding something to wear to work is no hard task. I grab a pair of dark blue denim jeans and a white racer back tank top from my closet. Then I sweep my hair up into a messy bun. It will have to do. I look myself over in the mirror, staring a little too long. I shake my head at the reflection before me. I'm plain. Nothing about me stands out, except for the silver necklace with a broken heart charm that my mom gave me, before she died. I never take it off. I keep the other half of the charm in my journal. It was her half. It is the most special thing she'd ever given me. Although Charlie corrects me whenever I say that, saying…. _'She gave you life Bells.'_ He's right. I continue to stand there, thinking about her longer than I normally do, which is usually a long time. I miss her so much. I wipe the single tear from my cheek and mentally shake myself from my thoughts. I head to the kitchen for a quick 'run out the door, I'm late' breakfast; a blueberry muffin and a Sunny D. I stop off in the backyard to scratch Sadie's head, before I jump in the truck and leave for work.

.

.

.

Working with Jessica is driving me insane. I literally feel like banging my head on the counter top. I've only been here a week, and I'm tiring of her…quickly. _God, I miss Angela._

Jessica's voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I need to take a break, or I'm going to become unglued.

"Jessica, I'm going to take a break, okay?

"Whatever, it's not busy." She shrugs.

_My getaway._

I take off my work shirt and walk toward the park I've become so fond of. I need to clear my head. I sit down on the bench, Indian-style, with my head resting against the back and my eyes closed, and I sigh contentedly.

"Is this seat taken?" Three things happened at once. My eyes fly open and I jump and bite my tongue. _Not necessarily in that order. _ He's standing there, waiting for my response.

"No," I say, moving over even though there's more than enough room for someone else to sit.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just didn't want you to think that I'm some kind perv, hitting on you or something," he says, while carefully sitting down at the other end of the bench.

_He doesn't look like a perv. What does a perv look like anyway? _ He's about six-feet tall with short black hair and beautiful tanned skin.

"You didn't scare me. I was just…. Um…yeah, you scared me." I start laughing.

"I thought so," he says, nodding his head and smiling at me. _He has nice teeth._

After that exchange, we sit there in awkward silence for what seems like hours. Suddenly, the most adorable golden-haired sweetie greets us.

"Oh! Hey, beautiful. Look at you!" I scratch the puppy's head. "You're so cute! Where did you come from? Who owns you?" I continue, in my high-pitched, cooing voice.

"That would be me." He says, reaching down and scratching her head as well.

"She's yours? I ask, just noticing the leash he's holding.

"Yes she is. This is Lola, say hi to the pretty lady, Lola."

She's so sweet. "Hi Lola, aren't you adorable?" She jumps up and licks my face.

"I think that mean she likes you," he laughs. "You're good with her."

"I have one of these at home."

"You have a Golden Retriever too? He asks, surprised

"Uh, no," I laugh. "More like a mid-sized German Shepherd, that's growing rapidly and eating me out of a house and home."

"Shepherd. Wow. I'm sure he's definitely a handful."

"She, her name's Sadie, and she's a huge handful." I laugh. On cue my alarm goes off, signaling that my break's over.

I slide off the bench and stoop down, giving my new, furry friend one last pat.

"Well, it was nice meeting you." Lola barks so I won't forget her. Aww…and definitely you, Lola." I rise to my feet and turn to walk away.

"It was nice meeting you too. By the way, I'm Jacob."

I stop, turn to him and smile.

"My name's Bella." He stands up and walks toward me, with his hand extended.

"Bella, it was very nice meeting you. Maybe I'll see you here again, next time with…Sadie, was it?"

"Yeah…maybe."

I take his hand, not shaking it, but holding it for a brief second.

"Bye, Jacob."

He seems nice, and I can use all the friends I can get.

.

.

.

Jessica, this guy named Tyler and I are cleaning up the store after a hellish dinner rush. It isn't the same as when Angela and I closed up, we had fun even if the conversation was geared mainly to my current sex life, or lack thereof. But now, working with Jessica, I can't get out fast enough. I'm whirling around the store like a tornado, trying to finish so I don't have to deal with her for one more second longer than I have to, until….

"Bella, I'm going to leave early. I have some errands to run and the stores at the mall close early."

It wasn't what I'd hope for, but I don't mind staying and cleaning up without her. I'll definitely be late getting home, and I wanted to make sure that Charlie ate a proper dinner tonight.

"Sure Jessica, that's no problem." It isn't a problem until…

_Knock, knock, knock._

"I'll get it Bella, since I'm on my way out."

_Good riddance._

I can hear Jessica speaking. I don't look up from sweeping the floor, but I hear her annoying voice and her even more annoying cackling. She's having a conversation with someone at the door. I have no idea who it is, since we're supposed to be closed, until I hear….

"No, we're still open."

_What?_ _She's still letting people in after we closed a half hour ago! Is she mental! That's it. Enough is enough. I'm going to stop her ridiculous, arrogant 'I don't give a shit about anyone else' behavior, before it really gets out of control._

"Jessica can I speak with you for a…."

I'm cut off by Jessica saying….

"Sure, it's no problem. I'll get it for you right away."

I decide to finish cleaning up and not worry about what Jessica's doing. As long as she's taking care of it…it doesn't matter to me. I put the cleaning supplies away, moving closer to where their voices are coming from.

_I thought she was leaving; guess not._

The sight that's before me nearly makes my heart stop. There's Jessica, leaning across the counter, handing the object of _my _affection_,_ what I think is his signature beverage. She's leaning so low that her boobs are on display.

_That bitch!_

She's laughing and batting her eyelashes, and he's lapping it up. He's smiling back at her, _no, smirking. He's smirking at her. The smirk I've come to love so much. _I know I'm standing there, staring, but I can't seem to move. They don't even notice me.

_He doesn't even notice me._

* * *

**EPOV**

_Bella._

_She's here. Brown Eyes. Is this some kind of astrological, karma thing? Maybe it's fate. Whatever it is, is fucking with my ability to concentrate. I'm going to make sure I see her again. _

I drive through the city, thinking about when I first met her. There's something about her. She isn't the type of girl I'd normally express any kind of interest in. She's shy, and I know I make her nervous; surprisingly that's part of the reason why I'm so drawn to her. She's pretty and has a decent body, from what I could see anyway. She's petite, about five-foot four. She isn't sophisticated like Tanya or Victoria, but her eyes mesmerize. I've never seen eyes like that. I know I shouldn't have flirted with her. She's not the type of girl who can handle me. Most girls can, but she's different…wholesome, good, uncorrupted. If I pursue her I know I'd corrupt her. Her mind, body, and soul; and I can't do that to her. I'd wreck her. I can't give her more.

_Bella. I smile at the thought of her name. _She's the kind of girl who would definitely want more. I need to get this girl out of my head and find someone else, someone who isn't so wholesome, good, or uncorrupted, someone who wants to fuck, and leave after they get fucked.

_Maybe the ditzy brunette at the coffee shop? _

I know what _she _wants. Next thing I know, I'm turning the car around and heading in the opposite direction and on my way to the coffee shop. The question is, for whom?

I know it's past closing time, but I also know that I'll get in. When I knock she comes to the door, ready to reject the unknown person, calling out that the store is closed. When she sees it's me, her face breaks out into a grin like a Cheshire cat, and her eyes twinkle in anticipation. I should turn around and leave. _Think of the sex, Edward. _ I keep chanting in my head.

"Am I too late?" I smile at her, and I know that's all it will take. She damned near hands me her panties through the door. What she really does, is open it.

"No, we're still open. Hi, I'm Jessica. I waited on you the other day when you were in here." She beams at me and stumbles backwards, opening the door wider to let me enter. _Man this girl's an airhead._

"Hi, beautiful, can I get the usual? It's been a long day and I need to unwind.

"Sure, it's no problem. I'll get it for you right away.

"Thanks." I wink at her and watch her disappear behind the counter. There's no sign of "Brown Eyes" anywhere. That definitely makes this easier. I don't seem to be able to take my eyes off of her when she's around.

Jessica's trying her best to flash her tits at me, while leaning on the counter, caressing the back of my hand with her fingertips. Normally something like this would be extremely erotic, but coming from her, it does nothing but deflate my semi-hard cock.

_What the Fuck! I mean, I'm a man and the thought of a female screaming beneath me while I pound into her from behind, excites me beyond words; but not this female. Is it because she talks too much? This isn't going to work._

"So, what's your name?"

"It's Edward."

"Are you from Fort Lauderdale, Edward?

The way she says my name, irks me beyond reason. There's no way I'm going to be able to stomach this girl one minute longer, let alone fuck her. It's a no win situation, and I'm all about the _win, win._

"No," I answer shortly. I'm not purposely trying to be rude, but this shameless flirtation from her is a complete waste of her time, and mine.

"You think you could put a rush on that iced coffee, Jessica? I look at my watch for emphasis, hoping she'll get the message. I need to get away from her and fast, before I do something I know I'll regret. I won't be able to get her out of the beach house if I take her home tonight. I can hear the whining already.

"Sure, it'll just be a second. We were starting to put everything away so…."

"Are you sure it's no trouble? I don't want to burden you beautiful."

_'That's laying it on thick, Cullen, are you sure you don't want to fuck her?' _

Her smile gets wider.

"It's no trouble. _You're_ no trouble at all."

_Oh man, now you've done it, Cullen._

"Are you seeing anyone, Edward?

_Please stop saying my name._

"No, not really." It isn't exactly a lie.

"So, if I give you my number would you think about calling me? She purrs, but it doesn't sound right, at all. I'm starting to become irritated now.

"Yeah I'll call you. What's your number baby?"

I pull out my phone and enter her number, even though I know I'll never use it.

I'm saying good-bye to Jessica, preparing to exit the store, when I hear a crash. I whip my head around and there she is, standing there with a strange look on her face. Her eyes are like magnets, holding me hostage. _Fuck! How does she do that? _

I grab my drink and walk in her direction, not giving Jessica a second thought. Her eyes become larger.

I_s she afraid of me? _ _She should be._

She fidgets. This is one of her natural reactions to me; I noticed it the first time I was this close to her. The thought of that little fact makes me smile inwardly, and I try to suppress it from showing. I don't break our gaze, and I don't speak as pass her. My arm brushes hers slightly, and I hear her breath hitch. I want to let her know that I notice, so in one swift motion, slowly and discreetly as possible without lifting my arm, I reach for her hand and hook her pinky finger with mine.

Her hand trembles and her breath hitches for the second time. I smile and let go, making my way out of the store. There's no way I'm staying away from her now. She wants me. I think I knew that from the first moment I saw her, but now I'm sure. I can practically smell it on her.

_Bella._

I'm going to have her.

* * *

**BPOV**

I'm frozen in place. It's more like I'm frozen in time. I can't believe he's here flirting with her. I know I have no claim on him. He isn't mine, but that fact doesn't make the hole that I feel in in my chest go away. That is until his arm brushes mine. _He feels so good. _I can't breathe. I want to feel him again, over and over. He reaches out and grasps my finger briefly, and I think I'm going to pass out. Then he's gone.

_Oh no! Not this time!_

Jessica's squealing and jumping up and down telling Tyler about how he's the man of her dreams, while I make my way out of the store to try and make my dreams come true.

_I want him._

I rush to the door with a sudden confidence that I know comes mostly from Angela's pep talk and Rose's influence. I'm never more grateful to both of them. I bolt out of the door scanning in every direction to find him.

"Looking for me?"

I jump. "Shit. You scared me," I whisper.

"Nice language. I never pegged you for much of a potty mouth."

I smile looking down at the pavement, avoiding his eyes. My cheeks feel warm; I know I'm blushing.

"I…" I don't know what to say. All that newly found confidence quickly evaporates. I have to find a way to do this, even if I end up looking like fool.

"I…was…looking for you." I sound so stupid.

"Why?"

He actually sounds confused.

"I wanted… I wanted ask you a question…about the other day when we were in the park."

"So, ask me."

_Dear God, I need help._

"Um… I…." '_Channeling Angela, channeling Angela'_

I'm panicking. It's like he can see every thought I'm having, even the naughty ones.

"I just …wanted to ask you…." as I finally get up the nerve to ask him, he cuts me off.

"Have dinner with me tonight."

My eyes shoot to his. I'm speechless, and he's smiling. _My smile._ He's waiting for a response. Breathlessly, I reply….

"Ok."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	6. Chapter 6,The Date

**Chapter 6: Chapter 6 The Date**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing Twilight related. It's still the same and will never change. Although I am the proud new owner of two Scooby Doo silly bands courtesy of my six year old! Thanx Ty. Love you!**

**Chapter 6**

**BPOV**

What the hell was I thinking? I can't believe that I agreed to go to dinner with him. Now I'm standing here in my room, completely freaking out.

_**Flashback: 2 hours earlier**_

"_So, where should I pick you up?_

"_Huh?" I'm still completely in a daze._

"_For dinner, Brown Eyes. Where should I pick you up, unless you'd rather just leave from this spot, right now? He asks, with both eyebrows raised._

"_Um…no, I'm sorry. I…you…you can pick me up from my house." I'm staring at him stupidly. He steps closer to me and leans down to my ear._

"_What's…your…address, Brown Eyes?" he whispers, ever so slowly._

_Oh God. My eyes roll back in my head and I'm sure I start panting like a dog in heat. The effect he's having on me is mind-boggling. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through dinner with this man._

"_Oh! Um, my address is… I snap out of my thoughts and jump slightly. He knows he has me flustered because he chuckles…_

_3412 W…. should I write it down? "_

"_Oh there's no way I'll forget it, Brown Eyes," he adds with his signature smirk and a mischievous glare. I can no longer hide the smile that's threatening to break through. My cheeks feel like an inferno._

"_Ok, um 3412 W 17th Street." I repeat, sounding a bit desperate._

"_I'll pick you up around eight thirty? He asks._

"_Okay" I'm reduced to only giving him one-word answers when he looks at me with those eyes. I don't trust myself, at this point to not say anything stupid or embarrassing. He reaches out and brushes my cheek with his index finger._

"_Just make sure you bring this," he says, stroking my cheek lightly. I'm sure he's referring to the way my face turns red when he makes me nervous._

"_Eight thirty, Brown Eyes." He says, dropping his hand from my face and walking to his car. He gives me one more look over his shoulder and pulls off._

_Oh My God!_

_**End of flashback**_

I arrive home in a state of panic. I'm going out with _him. _The same _him _that I thought would never be interested in me.

6:36 pm. I'm freaking out.

6:45 pm. I'm pacing back and forth in my room, trying to figure out how I got myself into this mess.

6:54 pm. More freaking out and pacing.

7:00 pm. I'm calling Angela, but she's not answering. _Oh No! Goddamn you, Angela! _I hurl the phone across the room, sulking like a petulant child.

7:05 pm. I've pulled all of the clothing from my closet, looking for something to wear. _Nothing_

7:15 pm. I'm sitting on the floor like a statue, in the middle of said clothing.

7: 20pm. I'm staring at what looks like a dangerously high, pair of open- toed black heels and a dress that looks to be even more dangerous than that.

7:25pm. I decide I'm not going.

_Damn it! I don't even have his cell number. _I stomp a little too hard on the floor, which alerts Charlie to poke his head into my room.

"Something wrong kiddo? Why are you beating up the floor?"

"I have a date." I say, flopping back onto my bed.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is." He sighs, walks over to the bed and sits down next to me.

"Why is it a bad thing, Bella?

'_Oh because he's way too gorgeous and way too sexy and way too rich… he's just way too everything.' "_Because I'm out of my league, Dad."

He sighs again. "What's that supposed to mean."?

"Nothing," I say quickly. I'm not about to get into this with Charlie. I already know what the lecture will be. So I do the next best thing….I lie…sort of.

"I have nothing to wear." He looks at the pile heaped on the floor and starts to open his mouth, but I stop him short.

"I have _nothing _to wear." I state a little more forcefully this time.

"Well I'm sure you'll find something". His eyes still fixed on the pile. "Do I need to stick around and put the fear of God in this character you're going out with tonight"?

"No!" I don't mean for it to come out that way, but Charlie will ruin the evening with his gun toting and sizing up of my date. It would go easier on both Edward and I, if we can get through this night without Charlie scaring him half to death with the whole '_if you hurt my daughter', _speech.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I won't threaten your date. I have to go to work tonight anyway. You just make sure he treats you right…you want to take a gun with you?"

"Dad." I say, rolling my eyes.

"Okay, well call me if you need me and have a good time."

7:45 pm. I'm obsessing.

8:30 pm. I'm showered, shampooed, dressed and scared shitless. I'm waiting in the living room with my hair twisted neatly in a bun and my lips lightly glossed. I'm wearing a simple knee length black jersey knit dress, courtesy of Rose's closet. I realize that I didn't ask him where we'd be having dinner so I could dress appropriately. _Damn it!_

My eyes glance at the clock, then to the door, then back at the clock. It's 8:40 pm and I'm starting to perspire. _Gross._ I'm acting like some teenage girl going out on her first date.

8:45 pm. He's late and these heels are starting to murder my poor feet.

8:4…

The doorbell rings, and I'm cut off from my obsessive countdown, realizing that it's him on the other side of the door. _Oh God! Pease don't let me embarrass myself, and please don't let me fall in these shoes!_

I stand, straighten out my dress, take a deep breath and walk over to the door; successfully. When I open the door I'm nearly floored. He always looks even better than the last time I've seen him. He's wearing a light blue shirt with the top two buttons undone, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and a pair of black slacks, very expensive looking shoes and a smirk. His hair… as always, is a beautiful mess. _No one should look_ _this_ _good. Damn him._

"You ready for me, Brown Eyes?" He asks, reaching out and taking my hand.

"Um…I didn't know what to wear. You didn't tell me where we were going." I say, looking down, my voice almost an inaudible whisper.

"Well, you look like you got it right to me. You look beautiful." He kisses my hand and my legs turn to Jell-O. "And as for where we're going, it's one of my favorite places. I'm sure you'll approve. I'm very gifted in the art of pleasing." He winks.

_What does that mean, exactly?_

"Ready?"

"Um… yes." I place my hand in the one that's waiting for mine and follow him to his car.

.

.

.

"So, you didn't tell me where we're going."

"I know."

"Are you going to?" I ask nervously.

"Why are you so suspicious? I'm not going to blindfold, tie you up and kidnap you… Not unless you want me to?" He asks, glancing at me sideways and smiling.

"No, of course not. I…I just meant…I don't like surprises that's all." I'm fidgeting so hard that it must look like I have a nervous condition.

"Relax Brown Eyes. It's not a surprise. I just thought we could go to one of my favorite places. Have you ever been to any of the area restaurants?"

"Not really, just local deli's and small eateries. Nothing special." I answered truthfully.

He just nods his head. The rest of the ride is in silence, which makes me feel extremely awkward. I don't' know what to say and he finally breaks the silence.

"Are you cold? I could put the top up."

"No, I'm fine. I like the open breeze." I toy with the hem of my dress as the wind swirls around inside the car, I shift in my seat and my dress moves up my thigh slightly. He notices, because his eyes shift down to my now exposed leg for a brief second then back to the road. I subtly pull my dress back down. He notices that as well.

"This is a nice car, I like the color."

_Shut up Bella._

He turns to look at me, and he smiles.

"Is it the actual car that you like or the color?" He asks, running his fingers through his hair.

"I like both." I'm not telling him what I'm really thinking about the car. _Like the fact that he had a different car earlier that looked equally expensive. That riding in this car alone does things to me I can't explain. It makes me feel so...free._

"I'll have to keep that in mind," he says, amused.

After driving for about twenty minutes, we end up in the valet section of a restaurant named the Hi-Life Café. It looks elegant. I start to feel self-conscious about what I'm wearing. I don't know if I'm dressed appropriately enough for this place or _him._ He exits the car and makes his way around to open the door for me. He hands the valet the keys, takes my hand and before I know, we're inside the restaurant.

"Good evening, Mr. Cullen, your table is ready, if you'll follow me right this way," the hostess says, and we head to our table.

"Thank you, Kate." He says, giving her one of his panty moistening smiles.

_I wonder if he's slept with her? Stop it Bella._

He pulls out my chair, and I sit down carefully. I've never been in a place like this. It seems so private and romantic. I glance around and notice that we're basically the only people having dinner.

"Penny for your thoughts," he says, while staring at me.

"It's so pretty here, and private." I answer, looking around nervously.

"Does that bother you; the privacy?"

"No, I like private things." I instantly wish I hadn't said that, because his stare is now accentuated by a very wide grin.

"I'll have to keep that in mind."

_Why does he keep saying that? _He's still staring at me. It's way too intense and it makes me feel uneasy. I can't stand it any longer.

"Do you do that a lot?" I ask, with my eyes now focused on his.

"Do what?"

"Watch things so...carefully?"

He leans forward with his elbows on the table, never breaking his gaze.

"Only when there is something worth watching." With that, the waiter arrives at our table. _Saved by the bell, Bella._

"Good evening, my name is Demetri. I'll be your server. May I offer you a selection from our wine list?"

"Bring us your finest and leave the bottle, Demetri." He says, without a moment's hesitation.

My head shoots up from the wine list. Obviously, he's had this planned. _I'm so out of my league._

"So, Starbuck's huh?" He sounds almost annoyed that I work there.

"Yes, Starbucks," I answer, with a quick chuckle, trying to hide the fact that I feel a bit unnerved by the way he said it.

"Why there?"

"Well, it helps to pay for my apartment and for my incidental college needs."

"What college?"

The waiter returns with two glasses and a bottle of the _finest. _He walks away, leaving the bottle, as instructed.

"Um…I go to the University of Illinois. He starts to fill our glasses and nods his head for me to drink. I taste the wine and it's delicious. He's watching closely again.

"So, how is it?"

I sit the glass down and bring my fingers to my lips.

"It's really good. What is it?"

"Dom Romane Conti. I'm glad you approve. What are you going to school for?" He quickly changes the subject.

_So much for savoring the wine._

I don't want to answer his question. I've never been ashamed of my career choice, but somehow, I feel reluctant to tell him about what I want to do for a living. I wish I could just change the subject, like he so effortlessly did a moment ago.

"I'm studying to be a veterinarian," I say in a low voice, while watching my fingers fondle the napkin on the table. I decide that if we're going to continue this conversation, then I'll have to finish the remaining contents in my glass, and fast.

"How old are you?" He asks as if he's a bouncer at a club, checking my fake ID.

"Nineteen," I say, taking a huge sip. He sits back and downs his drink in one swallow, but that's after he nearly makes me choke with his comment.

"So, a brown-eyed nineteen-year old potential veterinarian, who works at Starbuck's, and who is clearly virginal, I must be fucking insane." He mutters the last part to himself.

I sputter my drink and cough. He goes to stand, apparently to assist me, but I hold up my hand and tell him I'm fine.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…I didn't mean to upset you. And, it's just as well that we're in a private dining room, as you really shouldn't be drinking." He says dryly.

I finally get my coughing under control. I don't understand the sudden turn of events. Why is he saying these things?

"What do you mean…virginal?" I ask, like it's a dirty word. I know I sound a bit annoyed as well.

"Well, you are, aren't you, a virgin?"

"Wha…no…that's not… what are you asking me exactly?" I stumble horribly over my words.

"Nothing I was just making an observation," he says, while refilling his glass.

Now I'm the one staring… but in disbelief. At that moment, the waiter comes to take our orders for dinner. I've never been happier for someone's arrival.

My selection isn't simple nor what I would normally eat, but it sounds divine nonetheless. Merlot roast duck topped with a port wine sauce, served with white and wild rice and glazed baby carrots. The way he orders his meal makes my mouth water.

"I'll have the Hawaiian crusted, cashew coconut butter fish, with roasted, grilled red bliss potatoes, and curry sauce on the side. Thank you." He says with confident finality.

"Listen, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable before. I can be a bit bold sometimes, it's uh…. one of my best and worst habits." He stretches his hand across the table and starts tracing over my knuckles.

_God! Why is everything that this man does so erotic?_

"You know, my favorite color is blue, but I see I'm going to have to change that…maybe to red. Do you like red, Brown Eyes?"

He's screwing with my head and he knows it. I can't form words. I just sit there, watching the hand that's touching mine, trying to figure out why he's asked me here. Suddenly my inner being wants the answer to that unspoken question.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Oh, why not." He says with a bored sigh, never taking his eyes off what he's doing to my hand.

"Why me? I mean, I'm sure you can have any woman you want, but why did you ask me out?"

"Why wouldn't I ask you out, Brown Eyes?" He's still watching my hand, but his finger traces higher, to my wrist, and I start to feel slightly warm.

"You could have anyone." I repeat in a choppy whisper.

"You've said that already." He slowly flips my hand over, palm side up, and begins tracing the lines.

"How do you know that I could have any woman?" he asks with a crooked smile. _Wait that's a new one! Shit he's pulling out the heavy artillery. _ He's baiting me. _Damn it! And I'm falling for it miserably. _

"You…Your…I mean…" I can't formulate words to save my life. I know what I want to say, but they won't come out.

"Breathe, Brown Eyes."

I inhale, exhale then sigh.

"You're incredibly good looking and…wealthy…and confident. You could have an.."

"Any woman. Yes, I got that, but what if I want what's right in front of me? What if I want you? I know you want me. I can sense it when I'm near you. I can feel it when I'm touching your hand like this. I can feel your heart beating when I hold your hand; it's a vibration actually. The pace is rapid, like it's about to jump right out of your chest. You want me."

He's right…about everything. I do want him and I'm getting tired of trying to hide it and at this moment, it becomes clear to me that I can't any longer.

.

.

.

"So, did you enjoy your dinner?"

"Yes, it was really delicious. I've not tasted anything that good before." He glances at me from the corner of his eye.

"I'll have to keep that in mind." He says, extending his hand to help me out of my seat.

We're back in the car and driving in silence once more, he reaches over to turn on some music. It sounds relaxing and soothing and completely sensual.

Our conversation is starting to smooth out some. He's beginning to become more talkative, which I'm glad for, because I feel more comfortable with him now.

"Are you cold?'

"No."

"Liar, I can see goosebumps all over your arms," he laughs.

"Okay, I'm a little chilly, but please don't put the top up, the breeze feels amazing." I smile at him.

"You're beautiful when you smile. Do you know that?"

"I'm not beautiful and you should be watching the road."

"You don't trust my driving or my ability to know when a woman is beautiful? I'm wounded, Brown Eyes." He says, clutching his hand to his chest, as if he's truly hurt by what I said.

I try to hold back a smile, but I fail. So I try to stifle it some by biting my bottom lip.

"And you're incredibly sexy when you do that," he says, raising the back of his hand to my cheek. He drags his hand slowly down my cheek to my neck. Then he slides his hand around  
the back of my neck massaging firmly, yet gently.

_How in the hell is he doing this while driving. _

It feels so good. I feel my eyes close and my head lolling forward slightly, enjoying what his magic fingers are doing. He moves his hand upward, never breaking contact and stops at the crown of my head and gently pulls locks of hair down from my bun. My hair floats down to my shoulders, and he now runs his fingers freely through it.

"You have beautiful hair, especially when it's blowing in the breeze."

He moves his hand back to join the other on the steering wheel. I instantly feel the loss of his touch. I'd do anything to have his hands touching me like that again.

"I'm not a virgin," I say without thinking. I don't know what possesses me to say that, but I've been feeling the need to clarify that since he first voiced it.

"Really?" he scoffs, but he sounds sarcastic rather than surprised. I stare down at my hands in my lap, berating myself silently for sounding like some sort of desperate slut.

We pull up to the front of my house and sit in complete silence for a moment. I'm the first to speak.

"Thank you for dinner, Edward. I had a nice time." I pull at the handle on the door, ready to make my exit, but he leaves the car before me and comes around the other side to open the door for me. I look up at him and smile, taking the hand he holds out to me.

"Will you allow me to at least walk you to your door?"

I nod my response and we walk to the porch. We stop once we reach the bottom of the steps.

"You didn't have to do this."

"I'm nothing if not thorough." He says, pushing a strand of hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. God, he's so gorgeous, it's unreal, but his mouth is especially perfect. His lips have this adorable, permanent pout. I want to kiss him. I want to know what his mouth tastes like.

_God, Bella you're such a perv._

"Your heart is broken." He says, his voice taking on a husky tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I'm confused, but he's a confusing man so I guess my thoughts are justified. He raises his hand and pinches my heart pendant between his thumb and index fingers. He looks at me with his signature smirk firmly in place.

"Oh…yeah, I thought you meant…"

"That your heart was broken?" He shakes his head slowly, letting his fingers linger right where my heart pendant rests. "The contrast is amazing against your skin. Is silver your favorite color?"

"No." I have to stop this before I let him have me right here, on this porch; then Charlie would shoot him for sure.

"Um…I should get inside. Thank you again for dinner." I turn and start to walk up the steps, but he reaches out and grabs my hand.

"Bella?

_Whoa! That's a first. He never calls me by my name. _The way he says it sounds almost like he's pleading with me for something.

"Yes?"

"I'm not ready to let you go yet."

_Oh Lord, this is not happening. Oh God, look at him. How am I going to say no to him? Easy…I'm not._

"Um...Edward, I…"

"Let's just go somewhere. It's still early and I'm not ready to end the night so soon."

"Where do you want to go?" I'm smiling widely now, happy at the thought of spending more time with him. I want to go anywhere he asks me to.

"Anywhere, your choice." He says moving closer to me, still holding onto to my hand.

"I…I don't know. I haven't really been anyplace here. I don't know what you like."

"Don't you?" He steps even closer. Close enough that our bodies are almost touching. I can feel the heat of his body radiating off him and he smells so incredibly good. There's no way I'm saying no to him.

"I don't know, maybe you should choose."

"Do you trust me?"

I don't know if I trust him, but it isn't about trust right now, it's about my need to be close to him.

"I trust you." I say hesitantly.

"So, is that a yes?"

"Yes." I say, smiling up at him.

_Oh dear Mary, Mother of God, what have I just gotten myself into?_

_._

_._

_._

"A night club?" I ask, confused, staring at the blinking neon sign.

"You said for me to choose. It'll be okay, come on." He holds out his hand, waiting for me to take it and I do.

"You have your own private V.I.P section?

"It's not mine per se. I just have access to it whenever I want. Can I get you something to drink? We're in a private area, so you're safe to indulge."

"Um…maybe a watermelon martini." I say a little shyly.

"You've got it, Brown Eyes, I'll be right back."

I watch as he goes to the bar to retrieve our drinks. I admit when I first saw where he was bringing me I wanted to turn around and bolt, but he asked me to trust him so I did. There was a line a mile long outside the club, but that didn't matter. We walked right up to the entrance and were immediately admitted and led to the V.I.P. area. I guess I should be happy, because he could have decided to take me back to his place and I'm not prepared for that yet.

The music isn't as loud up here as it is on the lower level of the club, but it doesn't seem like his type of music. It's so different to what he chose to listen to in the car. We're the only people in this section, with the exception of one other couple who are preparing to leave.

He makes his way back to our table, with drinks in hand.

"Miss me?" He asks, handing me my drink. I flush in response.

"So, how many of those do you have to have before you start to loosen up a little? He says, with his hand wrapped around his drink and his pinky finger pointing in the direction of my untouched glass.

"I'm…loose…I think." I quickly start to second-guess my use of the term 'loose'_._

"Are you now?" He adds, quirking one eyebrow.

I know there's no way I'm getting out of this conversation. He's so good at turning a simple phrase around, just to suit his particular interest and to no doubt make me feel utterly embarrassed. I think he does it purposely, just to see me blush.

"I meant that…I mean...well look at you! You're obviously out of your element here," I say, waving my hand in the direction of club. He flat out laughs at my mini-tirade. I smile too, knowing that I sound ridiculous. I pick up my glass and sip. "This doesn't seem like your type of thing, clubs, crowds, loud music, dancing."

"Are you saying that I can't dance?

He's chewing on the stirrer from his drink, watching me closely, and daring me to answer him.

"No, I just can't envision you in here, dancing to this kind of music. You seem more the ballroom type." The next thing I know, he's flicking the stirrer out his mouth and standing beside me with his hand out. I look up at him, eyes wide in sheer horror at what he's silently asking me to do. I shake my head almost violently.

"Oh no, I.." He acts like he doesn't hear my protest, pulls me up from the chair and walks me backwards, to the dance floor.

"You've just challenged me, Brown Eyes, and I never back away from a challenge, especially when the challenge is coming from a beautiful woman."

_Oh God, this isn't going to end well. It isn't going to begin well either, but I have no idea how to stop it. Me dancing? It's going to be a disaster._

Thank heavens the music isn't that fast, I'm sure to break a limb if it is, either his or mine. The hands that are holding onto mine, somehow manage to take up residence on my hips. My hands never move. I'm a statue; I don't know what to do. My head's swirling and not from the alcohol. He senses that I'm nervous.

"Are you going to put your arms around me?" he says, smirking down at me, but I can't focus. All I can discern is the way he smells and the way his body feels pressed so close to mine. I also notice that the music changes, and I recognize the song.

_**Moment of honesty  
Someone's gotta take the lead tonight  
Who's it gonna be?  
I'm gonna sit right here  
And tell you all that comes to me  
If you have something to say  
You should say it right now**_

_**You ready? **_

As if in response to both his question and the one in the song, I reach up and snake my arms around his neck. He pulls me closer and even though he's significantly taller, our bodies line up perfectly. He has his newly discovered crooked smile in place and is staring directly into my eyes. He starts moving his hips slowly back and forth to the music.

_**You give me a feeling that I never felt before  
And I deserve it, I think I deserve it**_

_**I deserve it, I think it deserve it .. Let it go  
It's becoming something that's impossible to ignore  
And I can't take it**_

_**I was wondering maybe  
Could I make you my baby  
If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy  
If you ask me I'm ready**_

_**I'm ready, I'm ready  
If you ask me I'm ready**_

_**I'm ready, I'm ready **_

His face becomes serious. All smirks and crooked smiles are gone, but his eyes are still locked with mine as he moves our lower halves back and forth. I feel as if I'm about to burst into flames. I've never danced this way with anyone before, but I can tell that he has. He's so good at it. He's good at everything. I lose my self in him. My fingers unintentionally lace at the nape of his neck. I though it was impossible for us to get any closer, but he slides his hands from my hips up my back, pulling me even closer into his body.

"So, do you take back what you said about my dancing?" He leans in closely, whispering in my ear.

I pull back to look at him, and I nod my head. His hands keep traveling up and down my back slowly. I can't take the way he's staring at me, it's too intense, so I lean my forehead against his and close my eyes, just concentrating on the movement of his hips to guide me. I feel him growing against me, and I feel the moisture build in my panties. We have to stop.

"Edward, we have to stop." I say breathlessly, but don't unhook my hands from around his neck.

"Why?" he asks, just as breathless, as he continues moving, this time more slowly, more pronounced like he's trying to….

"Edward?" I'm panting now. His hands slide down my thighs to the hem of my dress, and start sliding it up, not all the way, but just enough so that he can caress my bare skin. His breathing is becoming uneven in my ear, and I swear I feel his tongue.

"You feel so good," he says, leaning his head in the crook of my neck inhaling deeply.

If we don't stop soon, we'll be having sex in the middle of the dance floor, but I can't bring myself to stop. I don't want to. I want him so much. And then I feel the vibration of his phone in his pocket, and his movements freeze instantly. I think I hear him say "cockblocking phone" but can't be sure. He pulls back from me, clearly pissed off and answers the call.

"What!" he says, through clinched teeth.

I adjust my dress and he quickly grabs my hand shaking his head.

"He did what!"…Yeah I'll be there in a few. No don't do anything, just wait for me. Fuck!"

"Is everything okay? I ask, not able to look him in the eye.

"It will be, but we have leave. I'm sorry." He runs his fingers through my hair.

"It's okay, it's getting late anyway," I say, hoping that my disappointment isn't too obvious. He nods and takes my hand, leading us out of the club.

.

.

.

We're back at a familiar spot, standing at the bottom of my steps in front of my house, saying goodnight. This time, the silence is really awkward.

"So."

"So." He says, mimicking me.

"I should be going."

"I want to see you again," he says, stepping closer. "Tomorrow."

He places his hands on my hips, moves in close and places an open-mouthed kiss very close to my lips. He doesn't wait for me to confirm. Instead, he shocks the hell out of me with his next words.

"And Bella, next time, don't wear any panties."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

_**End Note:**_Thanks for reading. As always please review. EPOV is next!

"Music played at the club: _Alicia Keys and Drake's Unthinkable _


	7. Chapter 7, Sex on Fire

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Sex on Fire**

* * *

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. Nothing's changed. Stephanie still owns the lot.**

**A/N: I wanted to apologize for not changing the story status. Although this story was completed months ago, as most of you all know who have returned to read a second time, new readers are a bit confused by the status and the fact that there are only a few chapters up. Having realized this, I will change the status and keep reposting as I get them back from my beta. She is working hard to get them to me for posting in a timely matter. Thank you all.**

_**EPOV**_

"What the fuck happened?" I practically shout, throwing my keys on the couch, pissed beyond belief. My lack of release is making me irritable to a fault. James simply waves me off, flopping down on the couch with his head back and arm flung over his eyes.

"Stop shouting Edward, you sound like Carlisle."

"Well maybe I should've let Carlisle come and bail your ass out of jail. Were you driving while drinking?" Ironically I reach into the fridge and toss him a beer.

He looks at me quizzically, "To answer your question, no I wasn't 'driving while drinking.' I was apparently texting while driving, and the cop gave me a hard time about it."

"You idiot, you could've killed yourself and someone else." I sit down on the couch next to him, taking a swig out of the bottle.

"Spare me the lecture _Dad_. I received all the lecturing I nee from Smidge. Hey, did you ever notice that our sister is annoying as fuck?"

"Anyway, I know that it was stupid and it won't happen again."

"So what did you tell him to do? Go fuck himself?" He glances at me sideways and smirks.

"Then you got exactly what you deserved bro," I finish, slapping him a little too hard on the back.

"Fuck you."

I grab my chest in mock horror. "I'm going to bed."

"Wait, aren't you going to tell me about your date?" He yells out as I start up the stairs.

"Later. I need a shower."

The water hitting my chest with gentle force is just what I need right now. I think about those incredible eyes, and that mouth. I bet she doesn't even know the wonders she can do with it. Watching her lips connect with that wine glass was like watching them connect with my dick. Just thinking about it makes my cock hard as granite. I lean into the spray, and lather my hand. This problem is not going to take care of itself.

I think of what she felt like, so close to me when we were dancing. Her body trembling in anticipation and something else, maybe fear. Is she afraid of me? Putting one hand against the tile and with the other grasping my pulsating manhood, I begin stroking slowly; with a small smile, thinking more about Brown Eyes. I think about how I want to tease her until she's panting for me to be inside her. I wonder if she's ever been properly fucked. Of course she hasn't. It's as plain as the blush on her face. She has no idea just how much I want to show her, teach her.

My hand starts to pump furiously up and down. _That blush…that damned blush will be the death of me. _I want her spread wide, begging for me to stop, to not stop. Those fucking eyes; eyes so innocent, just waiting to be corrupted. I'm grunting and moving my hips in unison to the memory of what I was doing to Bella at the club. I would have fucked her in the middle of that dance floor and loved every second of it. My body begins jerking violently as I come hard, throwing my head back with a quick laugh, enjoying the release I receive, unbeknownst to innocent Brown Eyes. Next time she'll know. I have major plans for our next encounter.

* * *

**BELLA**

Is he insane? I know I must have heard him wrong. _No panties? _ He can't have meant that, but something inside of me, strangely wants to grant his request. I cover my face with my palms, trying desperately to make sense of what happened tonight. The date was so weird. Dinner was amazing. _He_ was amazing, until he started with the piercing stares and references to my sexual status. Dancing was another story. It isn't that I can't dance; I just hate it. I always feel awkward when people watch me dance, so imagine my surprise or should I say horror, when Edward insisted that we do.

He was trying to prove a point. I don't know what made me think that he would not be good at, or comfortable with doing that kind of dancing. . I should have known that the opposite would be true; that he'd be good at it. He's good at everything. The way he moves should be a sin. I can't even begin to imagine what his body would move like in bed. Or can I?

I know he wants to have sex with me. We were so close to actually doing it. My body starts to come alive again, just thinking about him. I rub my legs together to try and create some much-needed friction. God! This isn't me. No man has ever made me feel this way before. I'm not used to having these crazy erotic thoughts, and I've sure as hell not ever thought about masturbating, until now.

He leaves me wanting him more than I want air. He wants to see me again tomorrow, wearing no panties. What the hell am I going to do, and why the hell am I even entertaining the thought of going out with him without wearing underwear? Rose will have a heart attack when I tell her about this date, and probably sell tickets to the event. I stubbornly kick the covers off of my legs and reach over to the nightstand for my iPod. There's only one thing that can help me get my head on straight after tonight, episodes-Music. I flip through the song selection until I find what I'm looking for. I raise the volume to full capacity, close my eyes and sing along.

"_Lay where you're laying  
Don't make a sound  
I know they're watching  
They're watching_

_All the commotion  
the kiddie like play  
Has people talking  
Talking_

_You  
Your sex is on fire"_

Every lyric I sing, makes me think of him. A glimpse of his green eyes flash through my mind, then his lips, I smile and continue singing.

"_The dark of the alley  
The break of the day  
Head while I'm driving  
I'm driving_

_Soft lips are open  
Them knuckles are pale  
Feels like you're dying  
You're dying_

_You  
Your sex is on fire  
Consumed  
With what's just transpired_

I must really be into the song because I don't hear Charlie knock or stand over the top of me.

"You know Bells, you're going to go deaf with the music that loud."

"Jesus, Dad! You scared the shi…" He raises one eyebrow, daring me to finish. I don't.

"That's why you shouldn't have it so loud. You never know whose going to walk up on you. Anyway I just wanted to make sure you were home and safe before I left."

"Did you get any rest"?

"After I watched the game, I dozed off for about a couple of hours. That's all I need."

"What about dinner?"

"Pizza...and a salad. You would've been proud."

"Salad? I'm shocked! And proud," I laugh.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't tease me miss 'Sex on Fire', that must have been some date." He says with a wink then walks out of the door, leaving me extremely embarrassed.

.

.

.

I wake the next morning to the sound of my alarm clock buzzing in my ear, and Sadie pulling the covers off me, letting me know it's time for breakfast.

"Okay Sadie. Let go! I say through gritted teeth, yanking the comforter with all my strength. Big mistake, she takes this as an invitation to play tug of war. For some reason, I seem to be weaker this morning, because she wins and drags me off the bed and onto the floor. She then takes the opportunity to remind me of her victory by pouncing on me, licking my face.

"Sadie, get off! Okay, I'm getting up! I drag myself out of bed and watch Sadie barrel out of the room. I brush my teeth and throw my hair up into a sloppy ponytail. I don't have to work today and don't really have any plans for this morning, so I decide to not bother with my appearance and simply settle for being comfortable. I get myself a bowl of cereal and a bowl of Pedigree for Sadie. Charlie is passed out on his bed, still in his uniform and snoring loudly.

.

.

.

I'm sitting on the couch, flipping through channels when the doorbell rings.

"Who in the world is ringing the bell at nine am?" I open the door, ready to give whoever it is, a piece of my mind.

"It's nine a.m. this had better be good…"

"It can be _so _good. It's all up to you, Brown Eyes."

"Oh my God! Wha…what are you doing here?" I'm shocked and a little happy. Okay, a lot happy.

"We have a date. You're not trying to back out, are you?"

Is he serious? _Of course he's serious. He's standing in your doorway at nine a.m._

"It's nine in the morning, you want to go out _now_? I ask, suddenly very aware of my indecent appearance. I fidget, trying to cover myself in some way, without being too obvious. No such luck. He watches me in amusement.

'That's a nice little thing you're wearing, it'll be perfect for where I'm taking you."

""W… where are you taking me"? Once again, the mere sight of him simply standing there; in a white short-sleeved polo shirt, khaki cargo shorts and boat shoes; has me unable to speak properly.

"Are you always this articulate in the morning?" he asks, bracing his arm up on the doorframe.

_Is he always this sarcastic in the morning?_

"I'm not really dressed for a date, as you can see." I don't really want him to see me like this. He cocks his head to one side, scanning my morning outfit from head to toe.

"Hmmm," he says, rubbing his chin with his fingers. "You look fine to me, I like the tousled look."

Tousled? Is he kidding? I look mangled, and he's here trying to make it sound sexy by calling it tousled? He's crazy.

"So, are you ready?"

"Edward! I can't go on any date with you looking like this!" I say, tugging at my hair, trying to set it free from the tie that's holding it up.

"Well, go and get ready then. The more time that passes, the less time I have to spend with you. I'll be back in an hour to pick you up. I have something I need to take care of, anyway. Oh, and bring a bathing suit…or not. I wasn't kidding about the panty thing." He snickers and closes the door behind him.

_Man this guy has some set of balls!_

I'm still trying to tame my hair, when I glance at the clock. _An hour. He'll be back in one hour!_ I take off, running up the stairs, surprising myself by my ability take the steps two at a time, without breaking my neck.

.

.

.

While I wait for the water from the shower to regulate, I find something to wear from my closet. I pull out a pair of white shorts and a pale blue tube top. I move to my dresser and fish for a bathing suit, but can't find one.

_Damn it! I was sure I packed it!_

I give up and grab a pair of black lace panties and bra I've never worn, instead. Thank God, they match; not that I plan on him seeing them, but you never know, and there's no way in hell I'm not wearing _any_ panties; no matter how cute he is. I lay everything out on the bed; grab a towel and sprint to the shower.

.

.

.

I've showered and I brush my hair back up into ponytail. I'm looking for my favorite tangerine scented lotion and realize that I haven't unpacked all the belongings from my suitcase yet. I unzip and flip back the flap of the suitcase, and staring back at me is a black La Perla shopping bag. I reach out and touch it cautiously, realizing it's the infamous gift from Rose. I'm afraid to look inside to see what mischief Rose is imposing on me.

_Oh what the hell! _

I reach into the bag and feel around inside. It feels like silk. I pull my hand out slowly, the silk delicately held in my fingers and hold it up for inspection. Low and behold, it's a white bathing suit. A bikini, embellished with strings and gold. _Oh God, Rose. _ My eyes linger for a moment then widen as I see the contents at the bottom of the bag. I quickly close the bag and shove it aside.

_I'm going to strangle that damned Rose with my bare hands!_

Murdering Rose will have to wait because I only have minutes left before _he _gets back. I snatch up the swimsuit and throw it in my beach bag, along with sun block and other related items. I slip on a pair of flip- flops and race down the stairs, aware of the fact that it's now five minutes till the time he said he'd be back. I don't want to wake Charlie, so I write him a little note saying I'd be out for most of the day. I fill both of Sadie's bowls and right on cue, he signals his arrival, this time with a car horn.

Pulling back the window curtain, I make sure that it's him and head out to where he's waiting for me.

"Where are you taking me"?

"Ah, ah, ah. You'll see. Unless you have some specific ideas of what you would like to do today, I'm open to anything. Is that fantasy of me tying you up and kidnapping you making a reappearance in that pretty little head of yours."

I roll my eyes and smile. "You wish."

"Oh I don't wish, baby. Wishing isn't a guarantee, but I'll give you a free pass on the abduction."

"I am humbly in your debt."

"You will be."

.

.

.

After having racked my brain for the last twenty minutes trying to figure out where he's taking me, we arrive at the beach.

His plans consist of taking us sailing. It isn't what I was expecting but he looks so excited when he grabs my hand and tells me to trust him. I'm shocked to see that he's actually going to sail the boat. He invites me to have a seat and relax while he prepares the boat to sail.

"Um…are you sure you know what you're doing?" I ask nervously. He just looks at me with a sly grin and continues hoisting up the sail.

"You just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride, Brown Eyes and leave the rest to me."

"That wasn't a yes."

"I though we agreed that you would trust me."

The tiniest gust of wind blows, and I'm treated to the sight of his delicious looking abdominal muscles and hipbones. There's a faint dusting of copper colored hair that disappears into the waistband of his boxers. I know I'm staring and possibly drooling. Is there any part of him that's flawed?

"Like what you see?"

My eyes shoot to his, and I look down at my feet, feeling a bit ashamed at the thought of him catching me ogling his body parts. He looks as if he's enjoying making me squirm. I don't respond; he smiles, shakes his head and goes back to setting up the boat.

He darts around the boat confidently, making sure everything is secure before we start out to the ocean. I like seeing him like this. He looks like a child on Christmas morning.

Once the boat is out, I start to relax more. We don't say much. He just stares at me from time to time, like he's trying to figure out some puzzle. I spend most of the sail trying to avoid his gaze and enjoying the way the breeze whips through my hair and caresses my skin. I was a little skeptical about going sailing, but after a while I realize this is the ideal way to spend such a warm, gorgeous day. Maybe I was just being paranoid because of all the secrecy about where he was taking me. I already feel more comfortable than I did on our last date. Maybe there's hope for him yet.

.

.

.

"Hold on tight, Brown eyes. Here we go. Woo! He yells as we go flying down the ocean in this death trap. With my face buried deeply in the crook of his neck, I scream uncontrollably from a mixture of fear and excitement. _So much for hope!_ My arms are clenched so tightly around his waist, I think they might break.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! Edward, slow down! I squeal, as he turns sharply on a wave and the water sprays up over us.

"You're going to kill us!"

"Are you afraid?" He yells, laughing.

"Yes!"

"What was that, Brown Eyes? No, you say? Go faster?"

"No! Don't go faster! He doesn't listen. We start to pick up speed and something inside breaks free, and it feels like my stomach's being attacked by a tickle monster, and I can't stop giggling.

"Oh you're going to pay for this!

"Do you promise?" _Oh my God, he's choosing now to be cute? "_I can't hear you Bella, maybe I should go faster?"

"Okay, okay! I promise!"

One more sharp turn, and we begin slowing down and head back to port.

"I'm going to hold you to that." He replies over his shoulder, in a low tone.

I finally pry my arms from around him, and he helps me off the back. My legs feel like silly putty. I know I look like a complete geek, trying to walk properly without collapsing, but my knees buckle and he catches me in his arms before I can hit the ground.

"Easy there sparky, I wouldn't want you to fall, hit your head and pass out on me before we get to the best part of the day.

"You mean there's more?" I ask, adding my own brand of sarcasm.

"Oh there's much more. Do you think you can handle it?"

"After sailing and jet skiing what can there possibly be that I can't handle?" I say, tossing my wet hair out of my face.

He looks at me and for the first time today, the crooked smile makes an appearance. _Oh shit._ He starts taking slow steps in my direction and I step back slowly. My heart's racing, anticipating his next move.

"What are you doing?" I ask, just a little amused.

"You really shouldn't have said that." He bends his knees a little and flings me over his shoulder, then takes off running towards the beach, with me squealing and kicking the whole way.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	8. Chapter 8, Sex is Blazing

**Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Sex is Blazing**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** **I own nothing that has to do with Twilight.**

**Chapter 8**

_**BPOV**_

The drive back is a long one. I can smell the sea air, but I can't see the beach, just a number of huge boats.

"Where's the beach." I ask, while he comes around to open my door.

"We're not going to the back to the beach, Brown Eyes." His eyes have a mischievous twinkle in them.

I blink up at him and allow him to take my hand and lead the way.

"Then where?"

"You're so impatient. I like that." He's being secretive again.

"You'll see where we're going soon enough." And with, that he pulls me along toward the dock where the huge boats are moored.

"We're going on another boat?"

"A yacht. My yacht to be exact."

"You have a yacht! Th…this is your boat? I'm completely amazed.

"A _yacht _Bella. There's a difference." He says, drawing the word out slowly.

As I walk up the stairs leading to the deck, I'm unprepared for what I see. He's set out a complete romantic-style picnic.

"Surprised? He whispers in my ear as he wraps his arms around my waist from behind. I nod my head in agreement, not sure what to say. I feel like I'm in some sort of Jackie Collins made-for-television movie.

"I'm glad. I like when you're surprised. Your skin blushes to this exotic shade and breaks out in goosebumps. He trails his index finger up my arm, sending a tremor through my body. He feels my reaction and chuckles, his warm breath tickling my earlobe.

"Relax, I'll be back in a moment."

I feel like I'm under a spell. I look down at the beautiful picnic he's prepared for us. There's expensive wine, an assortment of cheeses and fruits. There are also candles and two silver domes, placed neatly across from each.

I can hear him faintly, talking to someone but can't make out what's being said. I don't think I could make it out even if I tried; I'm too dazzled by everything around me. I'm on a yacht…his yacht...Edward's yacht, preparing for a romantic dinner with him.

The whole day has been amazing. I've never been sailing or jet skiing. I was scared out of my mind, but he made everything feel comfortable. He's so perfect. Everything he does looks effortless. You could see the muscles in his back move beneath his shirt when he was getting the boat ready for sail. His face became so serious and concentrated when he was steering the boat. I just watched in awe. Every now and again he would look over at me and wink, and I would blush like a high school teenager. I was freaking out when he asked me to ride on the Jet Ski with him, but I've never had so much fun in my life. I feel so free when I'm with him, like I'm flying or riding the biggest wave. The way he laughs makes me want to laugh as well.

Today is the most open I've ever seen him. He's still the same charming, sarcastic Edward, but he let a little more of himself show today. I know there was so much more that I don't know about him, but I hope tonight he'll open up and talk more.

"What are you thinking"?

Not hearing him come up behind me, I jump and whirl around to face him.

"I was wondering how you found time to to do all this?"

"Do you approve?"

"What's not to approve of?

"Do you always answer a question with a question?"

I do seem to do that a lot.

"So, do we have company joining us? He twists his face in confusion. I heard you talking to someone."

"Yeah, that was the staff. I was dismissing them for the evening."

"Staff?"

"It's a huge yacht, Bella."

He grabs my hand and pulls me down on the blanket that's spread out beneath us. He reaches for the bottle of wine and glasses and pours. His eyes watch me until I take a sip, waiting patiently for my response.

"Orange?" I ask. He smirks at me and nods his head.

"You like it?" he asks, taking a sip as well.

"It's delicious. You seem to have really good taste."

"You have no idea." He peers at me over the top of his glass.

"Why do you do that?"

'What?" he questions, looking at me, amused.

"You always leave something you say dangling in the air and me wondering what the real meaning is behind what you've said. It's very frustrating."

"Okay, Brown Eyes, ask me anything, and I'll tell you what you want to know."

I want to believe him, but he's still smirking and although I don't know him that well, I know him well enough to know that when the smirk's in place, the mask is also down; and I'd be getting nowhere with him. I just sigh and focus on eating a piece of pineapple. He seems to notice my disappointment and becomes serious.

"Bella, what do you want to know?" He also sighs, but his is laced with annoyance.

"I just feel like you know things about me, and this is the second time we've been out; and I all I know about you is what I see with my own two eyes, and the rest is what I assume to be fact."

"Like?" He sips some more of his wine, seemingly disinterested in what I'm saying.

"Okay. Fact, you're gorgeous, charming and sexy."

"Mmmm…I like where this is going." He stretches his legs out and leans on his elbow, with his hand palming his chin, staring at me. He slides his other hand up my leg, but this time I push his hand away.

Something in his eyes change, they're no longer playful. It's like they turn darker. He looks upset, like he isn't particularly satisfied with my rejection, but I ignore it and continue.

"Fact, you're obviously rich; I mean you have a yacht for Christ's sake. Along with the handful of different cars I've seen you drive, and you're mysterious to boot."

"Is there a question in there somewhere, Bella?" And the sarcasm is back.

"Yes! What do you do? Why are you here in Florida? Tell me about your family. You're amazing, why don't you have someone special to share your life with? Why do you want _me_ Edward?"

The words are pouring out of my mouth with ease now. It's like a weight has been lifted. I know he probably won't answer me, but he needs to know that all these unanswered questions are an issue for me. All of a sudden, his mood changes again. He jumps to his feet, grabbing my hand.

"Come on. He sounds excited about something. I want to give you a tour."

Why is he avoiding my questions? The mystery is one of the things that first attracted me to him, but this is getting out of hand.

"You brought your suit right? I can't wait to see you in it. Maybe that blush will run the entire length of your body. He trails his finger from my cheek to my jaw and down to my collarbone.

"Edward we were just tal.."

"We'll finish the conversation, Bella. I just want us to be a little more comfortable, and there are some things I would like to show you. You can change in the master bathroom and meet me back out here when you're done."

"What about this?" I gesture towards the food.

"Don't worry about it. If you're hungry, I'll have it transported to where we're going."

_Transported? Where are we going now?_

"Transported? I thought we were alone?"

"We are, but when there's a need for anything, I can be accommodated."

He points me in the direction of the bathroom. My eyes stretch to the size of mini saucers, as I take in the sight of the most fabulous bathroom I've ever laid eyes on. I shake my head and just try to focus on changing into my swimsuit. It fits perfectly…a little too perfectly. I examine myself in three-dimensional horror, when I notice that wall to ceiling mirrors grace every wall of the bathroom. I sigh and grab my towel, making my way out of the room; only I must have used the wrong door because I'm now standing in a room with a bed and a partially dressed Edward. He's wearing swim trunks and nothing else.

"I..I'm s..sorry, I didn't notice there were two doors." I know I should turn and leave immediately, but my feet appear to be rooted to the spot.

"There are three doors actually, one to the bathroom…"

He starts toward me slowly.

"One to the bedroom…"

"And one more to the Jacuzzi room, to which we're headed, but now that I have you here, maybe I ought to rethink our destination," he says encircling my waist and pulling me tightly to him. "I think I like having you right here."

"But, what about our dinner?"

"I'll have it brought in." He quickly ends my feeble thoughts about food.

Do you have any idea how sexy you looked in that wetsuit earlier?" He says, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

"But this…" He pulls back and assesses my semi-naked form.

"This has got to be my favorite look yet. You're stunning."

"You're beautiful." I respond almost instantly.

He laughs, moving closer. "Don't you mean devastatingly handsome, maybe sexy." He snakes his arms back around me and locks his fingers at the small of my back, pulling me closer. "I don't think I've ever been called beautiful before."

He slowly walks us backward toward something; I'm just not sure what that something is. I don't even seem to care.

"You're beautiful," I repeat, my voice lower this time, "and you know it."

I finally become aware of where he's moving us to; it's the door. When we can go no further, he presses me into it, firmly.

"Mmmm, I don't know about beautiful, but one thing I do know, is what I want and right now that's you. I've been thinking about you ever since you stole my phone."

And while he's saying this, he's slowly inching down the cup of my bikini top. He' so clever at avoiding anything I say that has to do with him. He always seems to divert me with a heart stopping smile or a sexual innuendo. Sometimes, he'll be so bold as to initiate a sexual act, and I can't win.

He leans his forehead to mine, and I feel all the air leave my lungs. The tip of his nose draws a pattern up one side of mine and down the other. Like the air from my lungs, my rational thoughts are next to go. I feel his lips brush lightly against mine. It isn't an actual kiss, just a small tease of what could be. After all of the closeness and touching we've experienced, he still neglects to kiss me. I'm so confused.

"You smell so good, Bella." I wonder if you taste as good as you smell."

"Edward.." I can't get a coherent thought to escape my lips. He's now brushing his lips along my chin and down my neck.

"I bet every part of you tastes so good…I want you, Brown Eyes."

For some reason, that statement draws me out of my Edward induced haze. I open my eyes and stare directly into his serious, green ones.

"Why do you want me?" I whisper.

I can tell that he's getting annoyed at my question, but he employs the tactic he's mastered so well. He avoids it.

"We've been through this, Bella."

"But you never told me why."

"You ask too many questions."

He kisses my neck and grinds his erection into me.

"Stop it Edward." I swivel my neck away from his lips. He pulls back slightly and looks me directly in the eyes.

"No." There's such a predatory tone to his voice.

"You want me, I know you do. The way your body reacts to me, gives you away. Just let go and feel. Feel this…feel me. I can make you feel so amazing, Bella… let me."

I'm struggling to stop him from going any further. It's true. I do want him, but at what cost? I don't want a one-night stand. I want all of him.

He kisses my neck again, this time sucking gently.

"Why haven't you kissed me yet, Edward?" I can't believe the words finally come out of my mouth, but they do, and I'm not going to backpedal. He freezes, but doesn't change his position.

"Just feel, Bella."

Before I can answer, he has my bikini top pulled down beneath my breasts, his mouth poised tantalizingly close to my hardened nipple. I place both of my hands gently on either side of his face, forcing him to look at me.

"No, kiss me Edward."

I'm feeling bold now. I need him to understand that if this is going to happen, it's going to be an equal give and take.

He shakes his head once.

"No."

"Kiss me." I repeat, sliding my hand to the back of his neck and pulling so our foreheads touch, our lips hovering close. "Kiss me." I repeat, this time barely whispering.

"No Bella. Kissing is overrated."

"Kiss me." I repeat again, only this time I mark it with a light brush of my lips against his, and I hear his breath hitch and feel his erection twitch; he doesn't pull away.

"Edward?"

"I can't Bella. I…I can't." All the confidence and arrogance in his voice is gone and now replaced by weakness and choppy breaths.

"You want to fuck me, but you can't kiss me?" He must be shocked by my forwardness, because his head shoots up, and his eyes fly open to meet mine. He doesn't say a thing. He just looks at me and realization sets in.

"Oh my God! I gasp, throwing my hand over my mouth. You really were just going to do that to me weren't you? All this wining and dining was just to get me into bed?"

He doesn't confirm or deny my accusation. He just stares. "I have to get out of here." I turn around, opening the door only to have him shoot his hand out above my head, slamming it shut again. I lean my forehead against the door breathing heavily from the devastation at the reality I've just had to face. I feel him press up against me from behind, as he tucks his head in the crook of my neck.

"Look at me." He says almost too low for me to hear.

"Why?" Sobs are stuck in my throat, making my voice sound strangled. He spins me around slowly.

"Because I asked you to."

I look up at him, and he reaches his hand up to my face, cupping my cheek. I lean into his touch, closing my eyes as he gently massages my cheekbone with his thumb.

"Look at me."

I open my eyes to see his staring back at me intently.

"I want you, Bella." His eyes focus on my mouth as his thumb traces the length of my cheek, down to my lips.

'I don't understand why you want me."

My resolve is crumbling. I'm beginning to fear that with one more word from his perfect lips, I won't be able to deny him anything.

"I want you.. I want you because you're forbidden."

He grabs hold of my face and kisses me.

_Crumble._

* * *

**_~~W~~_**


	9. Chapter 9, Simple

**Chapter 9: Chapter 9 simple**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Twilight.**

**This story is rated M for reason so please be aware. See you guys at the bottom.**

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Bella**_

_For the love of all things holy, his lips feel amazing._

He's finally kissing me, and my body melts against his in defeat. His tongue is doing the most indescribable things. It twists and flicks the inside of my mouth so softly. I whimper when I feel him pull me closer, pressing his erection firmly at my center. My body trembles from the sensation of his hardness. I can't control what I'm doing or feeling. I pant slowly into his mouth, while my tongue meets his, lick for lick, caress for caress, suckle for suckle. My hands grasp his hair and pull gently.

I've never felt like this before…ever. The more he kisses me, the more intense the moment becomes. I'm feeling slightly faint. I'm braced against the door and not really kissing him back. I'm so overwhelmed with the way I'm feeling, that I find myself unable to keep up with him, but I don't want to let go. I don't want him to stop. I pull my lips from his, and lean my forehead against the bridge of his nose as I try to regulate my breathing. His breath is coming out in short pants.

"What's wrong?" he asks, tilting my chin up kissing me again, with a small peck.

"Nothing." I murmur with a small smile.

"Are you sure?"

I simply nod in response and pull him back into another searing kiss, that's accentuated with my hands sliding down his well-defined arms and around to his even more defined ass. I squeeze, pulling him back to me, making his cock shift in between my legs. He groans in response.

"Mmmmm, Bella if you don't stop doing that, I can't be held responsible for my actions," he whispers against my lips.

"What if I don't want you to be responsible?" I can't believe what I'm saying. This man is turning me into someone I don't recognize, but someone I could definitely get used to. Maybe this is just the Bella that's screaming to be unleashed.

He pulls away and looks at me hungrily. The corner of his mouth turns up into a sexy smirk.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Brown Eyes," he says, licking his lips slowly as if he's trying to savor the taste from our tongue tango.

He's right. I have _no_ idea what I'm getting myself into. He's obviously having a major effect on my mind and body. Everything he does coerces me into second guessing my original thinking. Being in his bedroom, on his yacht half-naked, is definitely not a part of the plan, but here I am getting ready to let him ravish me.

His index finger reaches up to the front of my bikini top and snaps the clasp that's holding it together. I gasp, but don't take my eyes off his. _How in the hell did he do that! How did he even know exactly where the clasp was?_ It took me forever to find out how to hook the thing properly, and he undoes it with a flick of the wrist. I'm obviously dealing with a pro.

The same index finger lightly strokes one of my nipples to erectness.

"What are you doing?" I ask, breathing harshly. It's the dumbest question I've ever asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he retorts, now palming and massaging my breast firmly.

Something inside of me must snap. The next thing I know, I'm kissing him again with vigorous passion, and he's groaning into my mouth in appreciation. Both of his hands are now on my breasts driving me mad with lust. This is crazy. I have to get some control over this situation; I mean, I've only known him for a couple of weeks, and I'm about to have sex with him on his private yacht. Rose would have a coronary.

My hands seem to have a mind of their own, they slide into his swim shorts and roam all over his smooth, yet toned glutes. _Holy mother of…_

Edward pulling away from me with a laugh and a sly look on his face, interrupts my thoughts. _Did I do something wrong?_ The look in his eyes, tell me differently.

"Brown Eyes, I'm shocked. I think I'm totally starting to corrupt you," he says, hooking his thumbs into my bikinis bottoms and swiftly yanking me back to him, devouring my neck. Hands are now beginning to palm and grasp my ass with eagerness. The wetness is starting to pool in the second half of my two-piece, which has quickly became a one piece, thanks to him.

"Oh God," I force out in a ragged breath

"Mmmmm, not God. Edward." He hums between my breasts. He starts working on the ties on the sides of my bikini bottoms, when our groans, pants and calling out to the Almighty, are suddenly accompanied by music.

'_I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me papa-paparazzi….'_

"Shit."

"Such language." He chuckles, never missing a beat.

"I have to answer that," I say, turning in his grasp, stoop down quickly to retrieve my bag from the floor and fish out my phone. It's Angela.

"Don't you even think about answering that right now!"

There's a slight humor to his voice, but the way his hardness is pressed against my ass, tells me he's deadly serious.

"I have to." I whisper, not because I don't want to be heard, but because what he's doing is making me feel so good that I can't find the breath I need to make my voice work properly.

"Bella…" his voice holds a warning, but I can't acknowledge it at the moment. It's after midnight and Angela only calls that late when there's something important to talk about.

"I'm sorry." I say, pressing answer on my phone, and with a growl he releases me.

"Ange, hey. Angela calm down, what happened?" As I'm trying to decipher what Angela is hysterically screaming about, I hear a faint rustling from behind me. "It's okay Ange, everything's going to be okay, just try and get some sleep and I'll see you soon, okay? Bye." I end the call, feeling completely drained. I know Edward is pissed off that I've brushed him off so abruptly. I shove my phone back into my bag and fix my swimsuit.

"I'm sorry, that was my friend Angela. She's dealing with some devastating news." I say, turning around, knowing that the mood is probably shot to hell; but what I don't expect to see, is a stark naked Edward with the most intense look on his face. My mouth drops open and my eyes widen. They travel slowly down the length of his body, drinking in the glorious nude form that stands before me. He _is_ truly amazing. The back of my throat becomes dry when my gaze settles at the junction between his legs. He's fully erect and ready.

His cock is twitching before my very eyes, and I suddenly feel my cheeks flame. I instantly let my eyes shift to the floor, and he finally takes the opportunity to speak.

"I was hoping what you're wearing wouldn't be an obstacle, but as always, I like a challenge."

He walks toward me and grabs me by the waist, and it's all I can take, feeling the smoothness of his bare skin against mine. His cock brushes against the back of my hand, and I can feel everything; the raised veins that run trough it, the delicate hardness. I even feel the slight wetness that's managed to escape from it. I have to fight the urge to reach out and caress it.

"Edward, I can't I…I have to go," I say, while he undoes my top again. This time the approach is different. He pulls down the straps at my shoulders kissing each inch of skin that's slowly revealed. His mouth connects with my neck, and my head falls back with a throaty moan.

"You don't mean that," he says dragging the straps down further.

"I want to stay, but it's getting late and Angela needs me."

"I need you." He sounds like he means it, but I can't be sure.

"Edward, I…wait." I pull away from him, holding up a hand in front of me.

"You're kidding me, right?" Now he sounds really pissed off.

"I want to be with you, I do…it's just…we haven't known each other that long, and you're standing here naked; wanting to have sex and I don't know anything about you. We were supposed to talk, and we didn't get around to it. I really want the chance to get to know you."

He blinks at me in what seems like confusion, mixed with anger then he turns, giving me a full view from the back. I didn't think it could get any better than his front...I was obviously naive. How the hell someone can be so comfortable with his or her body is a mystery to me. The way the muscles of his shoulders contract when he raises his arms to put on his shirt in one swift move is the most erotic thing I've ever witnessed.

He doesn't say anything; he just continues to dress. His body screams his annoyance and I have a slightly ill feeling in my stomach. I don't like the fact that he's silent, upset. You can tell he's the kind of man that women just don't turn down for sex. I don't want to turn him down either, but things are moving way too fast, and I need to know more about him….I want more.

Trying to lighten the mood seems like the next best idea.

"I'm sorry about dinner; although I did enjoy the parts I was able to…"

I feel like a rambling idiot, trying to soothe his ego by talking about dinner. Truth is, I really don't know what to say. He puts an end to that rather quickly by finally breaking the silence and cutting me off.

"Are you ready?" He asks, grabbing his keys from the dresser.

"Um…yeah…can I use your restroom again?" he nods in response, not looking at me, he pats his pockets, looking around as if he's lost something. Now I'm the one feeling rejected. I grab my things and disappear behind the door, not before stealing one last look at him and the room where my entire life could've changed…. probably for the better. Now I'll never know.

.

.

.

The purring of the engine comes to a halt. We sit in the car briefly, before I decide to at least end the night on a respectful note.

"I really had a great time with you today…all of it," I say with my head down, watching my fingers play with the zipper on my bag.

"I'm glad." Is all he says, in a stony voice.

I feel so hopeless and depressed. When this day started it was amazing, even when we were being intimate…especially when we were being intimate. I don't want it to end…not like this, anyway. I want him so much, now I'll probably never get another chance to be with him.

"I really want to see you again." I say, quickly regretting the words leaving my mouth.

"Yeah, maybe sometime," he says, while checking the time on his watch.

His reply is like a kick to the midsection. My mood goes from bad to worse and then to just flat out shitty. I need to escape this with some shred of dignity still in tact. I realize he hasn't made any attempt to jump out of the car and race to open the door like he always does, so I exit on my own with a defeated sigh. I step up to my door with the keys already in my hand, only to be grabbed and spun around by two strong arms. I didn't even hear him get out of the car.

"When?" he asks, cupping both sides of my face.

"When what?" He's making me dizzy. I don't know whether I'm coming or going.

"When do you want to see me"?

"Um…soon," I say, sounding like a five year old. I thought he didn't want to see me again. He seemed so disappointed by tonight's outcome, but next time things need to be different. We need to talk if _this_ is going to go anywhere…whatever _this_ is.

"Promise me that next time, we'll talk and get to know each other more."

"What do you want to know, Bella?" he asks. I can tell he's annoyed by the way he nervously runs his fingers through his hair; and I want to touch it so badly.

"It's not something that can be talked about briefly on my door step, Edward. It takes time. We've had sexy and adventurous dates, and now I want a simple date." The way he looks at me, warns me that sarcastic Edward is back…in full effect.

"What the fuck is a simple date, Bella?" I'm a little shocked at his choice of words, but there's a subtlety to his voice that makes me relax. I reach out, taking his hand in mine gently, lacing our fingers together. He doesn't pull away, and my heart starts to quicken its pace when I feel his fingers reciprocate.

"Simple, is dinner and conversation nothing more, nothing less."

"My life is not all that interesting, Bella."

"Edward, please?"

"When?" he asks, reaching out and playing with my silver heart charm.

"How about the day after tomorrow?" I say shyly.

"That long!" He raises his voice in mock horror.

"Stop it." I laugh, smacking him lightly on the chest.

"I'll pick you up at seven the day after tomorrow," he says, as he steps backwards down one step and stares up at me.

"Seven is good." I say with a wide smile.

"Give me your phone," he says, with his hand out and returning my smile with an even wider one, complete with the tiniest dimple at the corner of his mouth. _Hmm. Never noticed that before. _ He quickly types something on my phone and hands it back to me, then walks to his car.

"I'll pick you up at seven, Brown Eyes, for a _simple date._" He says, practically yelling as he rolls his eyes. I smile and watch him pull out of the driveway, my phone clutched in my hand. My eyes drop to the message on the screen.

_**I had a great time with you too. Sorry I was an ass. 213 888-6543**__._ _**E**_

If possible, my smile grows even bigger, and I hold my phone to my chest, feeling as if my heart would leap out. I'm falling so hard for this man.

I walk into the house feeling like I'm floating. I'm acting like such a star-struck teen. Charlie must sense this because he can't refrain from making comments he feels need to be voiced.

"Two nights in a row, huh? I definitely need to meet this character. Who is he?" He asks, patting the seat next him. Forget that it's nearly one in the morning. I guess we're having this conversation now.

"His name is Edward and he's…he's….I can't begin to describe him."

"Well let's start with the easy stuff. What does he do, how old is he, who are his parents?"

I realize that I can't have this conversation with him; because I don't know the answers to any of the questions he's asking me. Hopefully all his questions and mine will be answered the next time I see Edward. I quickly change the subject to another pressing situation that needs attention.

"Um, dad I have something important to ask."

"What is it Bells?" He sounds worried, and that's unusual for Charlie. He's always my rock, especially since my mom passed.

"It's not me." I reassure him instantly. Angela is going through a tough time and needs to get away. I was wondering if it would be okay for her to spend the summer here with us."

"Angela? Yeah sure, she's always welcome here you know that. Is everything all right? Is she in some kind of trouble?"

"No, not really…just man trouble."

"Oh I see…worst kind. Well she's welcome to stay as long as she needs to, besides it eases my guilty conscience somewhat, to know there will be someone here to keep you company…with me working the long hours that I do."

"It's okay, Dad. I know you work hard," I say, rising up from the couch and heading for the stairs, desperate to take a shower. " Oh and thanks…for the whole Angela thing."

"Anytime. Hey Bells, real smooth on the avoiding thing." I frown at him, confused at what he's referring to. "Your mystery date. What did you call him…Edward?" he says, resting his head against the back of the sofa.

"Next time, Dad. I don't want to jinx anything." I turn and run up the stairs, making a fast getaway before he has the chance to ask any more questions.

.

.

.

The next morning, I find myself standing at the airport, waiting for Angela to appear at the gate. She'll probably be crying uncontrollably about the situation between her and Mike. I finally spot her looking like death warmed over twice. Her eyes have dark circles and her hair looks liked it hasn't been washed or combed in days. She runs up to me, and I wrap my arms around her as she starts sobbing.

"It's okay," I say, while stroking her hair. Let's get out of here."

I grab her bags and put them in the back of the truck. We leave the airport in a hurry, trying to dodge the crazy traffic that's sure to be a problem in the next few minutes if we linger any longer.

.

.

.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you, Bella," She says, sniffling all the while.

"Sure, Ange. It's not a problem. Do you want to talk about it? I ask, pulling into Stewart's Deli parking lot. She just shakes her head. I guess she'll confide in me when she's ready.

We sit at a booth that's conveniently obscure. We don't need people staring while Angela bawls her eyes out. I order for both of us, since she can't get herself together enough to form an intelligent word. I feel so bad for her.

"Were you able to get Mr. Yorkie to transfer you to another store? I ask, trying to stay safely away from the subject of Mike, but she has other ideas. She starts flipping out about what a 'son of a bitch' he is, just as the waitress returns with our drinks and tells us our sandwiches will be out shortly.

"He fucking cheated on me Bella! He fucked her in our bed!" she practically shouts, alerting everyone in the restaurant to Mike's wrong doings. I don't know what to say. My mouth repeatedly opens and closes. I'm struggling to find words of comfort, but I don't have any. _Some friend you are Bella._ So I do the next best thing.

"I almost had sex on a yacht." She spews the drink from her mouth, spraying me completely.

"Nice one Angela." I say, grabbing one of the napkins and cleaning my face.

"I'm sorry Bella, but that was completely unexpected. You had sex on a yacht!"

"I said almost." I don't want to sound like I'm ignoring what happened to her, but things were getting a little too hostile and people were starting to talk. There'll be plenty of time for male bashing when we get home tonight.

"It's clear we have a lot to discuss, Bella… both of us."

"Clearly." I say with a quick laugh.

.

.

.

Angela is exhausted. She falls asleep as soon as we arrive home. I, on the other hand, am wound up like a clock. I can't stop thinking about Edward. It's just dawned on me that he left his cell number in my phone. I don't dare call him for fear of saying something stupid, so I decide to send him a text. I reach for my cell on the nightstand, swiftly type a message and send it.

**B: **_**Seven tomorrow**__?_ I wait and my phone buzzes almost immediately, which makes butterflies flutter in my stomach.

**E: _Seven. For simplicity? Can't wait._**

'_Sad face? Aww.' _ I can almost imagine his face with the eye roll and pouty lips. I giggle and send a reply.

**B: **_**Simple can be fun. By the way, are you pouting**__?_

**E: **_**I don't pout and simple is boring. I think sexy and adventurous is better. Don't you**__?_

I read his message and think carefully before I send my reply.

**B: _But simple can lead to sexy and adventurous and other possibilities._**

I instantly wish I could get that message back, because I know how his mind works. I'll be paying for that text. I just know it.

**E: _Possiblilties? You're killing me, Brown Eyes. Why don't we just forget simple and pick up where we left off on the yacht. The possibilities were endless that night._**

I smile and type my final text and hit send.

**B: _Have you ever heard of waiting until your wedding night? I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Good night._**

My phone doesn't buzz again for quite some time. I just assumed he read my last message and took the _Goodnight_ as the end of our conversation. Half an hour later, after I emerge from the shower, I see my phone blinking. There's a message from 'E'.

**E: _No, I like to live in the moment. Night, Brown Eyes._**

I have to scroll to my previous messages to understand what his last message means. I feel uneasy when I understand. I'm not a virgin, but it isn't too late to try and exercise the right thing to do in reference to having sex before marriage. _Is it?_

_._

_._

_._

I come downstairs to Angela and Sadie playing tug of war in the kitchen. She seems to be in a better mood; maybe the sleep did her some good. We still haven't gotten around to talking about Mike and Edward, but I'm sure we will as soon as the subjects present themselves again.

"Hey, you look a lot better." I say, grabbing a blueberry muffin. She must be feeling well enough to bake, because the muffin is fabulous.

"Yeah. That sleep did me a world of good, but I don't want to talk about Mike right now. I want to talk about yacht sex. Was it good?"

"I said almost Ange…we didn't get a chance to finish."

"Why not…what happened?" She gasps, realizing her impromptu call is what happened.

"Oh God! I totally cockblocked! I'm so sorry!" She says with her hands covering her mouth, eyes wide.

"No, you didn't. Besides, things were moving way too fast, and I needed the diversion as well so, thank you," I say, pulling her hands from her face and hugging her. "But I have a date with him tonight and I'm freaking out because of what we were close to doing on the last date."

"Are we talking about iPhone guy?" she asks with her eyes squinted.

"Of course it's him, Angela! What kind of slut do you take me for?" I say, shocked.

"Sorry! I just wanted to be sure. Oh my God Bella! He's so gorgeous…an arrogant asshole, but gorgeous nonetheless."

"He's…not an asshole…he's just confident," I say, jutting out my chin.

"Sticking up for him already, huh. I'd say that qualifies you as being whipped."

"What! I'm not. Anyway I'm so glad you're here because I need your help to go shopping. You know how much I hate it, but I have nothing to wear and he always looks so incredible, so let's go. It'll be good for you too, I promise," I say, dragging her out of the house.

"Ok, but I get to pick your outfit for tonight. You don't always have the best taste in clothes, Bella."

"Thanks, Angela…really. I sigh in annoyance. She's right though. I suck at that kind of thing, which makes me think again. _What the hell does this man want with me?_

"No way in hell, Angela! I'm not wearing that! We're having a simple date."

"Okay fine! But you haven't told me where you're going, so I don't know what to choose Bella."

"Simple, Ange. S.i.m.p.l.e., simple," I spell out, sarcastically.

"Fine. F.i.n.e., fine. She responds, just as sarcastically. You're no fun. So, what's it like kissing him? I mean, he's seems older and more sophisticated and that arrogance is a turn on by itself."

"Words can't begin describe how he kisses. It's mind blowing." I realize I'm staring somewhere off into space, because Angela's standing in front of me, snapping her fingers.

"Holy shit!" She says in a soft tone. "You're in love with him."

"What am I going to do, Ange? I don't know anything about him and I have no idea what he feels. Well I have some idea of what he _feels_, but it's all been sexual."

"Just stay true to what you want, Bella and don't let him take advantage of you. Believe me I wish I'd taken the advice I'm giving you. Just…have fun."

I hope that I can stay true to myself and have what I want in the process, because I want Edward.

.

.

.

"Bella, you look so pretty, this was the perfect outfit, if I do say so myself."

I have to admit I love the dress and the shoes. The pale peach color is an instant favorite and is matched perfectly by the gold gladiator-style sandals. The fact that they are flats is a plus also. I'm admiring myself in the mirror when I'm alerted to my phone buzzing.

I glance at the clock and grab my phone. There's a text from Edward.

**E: _Be there in five minutes._**

I whirl around, looking for my purse and make my way downstairs with Angela I tow. I'm so nervous, but I can't understand why. I don't think I'll ever stop feeling this way when it comes to him.

"You look amazing, Bella; and remember, stay true to what you want and have fun."

"Okay. I give her a long hug. "Will you be okay?" I ask, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving her, after everything she's just been through.

"I ruined your night once, Bella, I won't make a habit of that, now scoot."

I don't give him a chance to knock, before I open the door. _God will I ever get used to the sight of him? _I watch as his eyes rake over me.

"You call this simple?" he says, amused, gesturing to my form with his hands.

"I could change if you'd like," I say, suddenly feeling a little unsure of my choice of attire. He steps closer and whispers in my ear.

"You do and I'm out of here. You look beautiful." He finishes with a brush of his lips on my cheek. I turn to look at Angela, who's literally bouncing. I mouth a 'thank you' and wave goodbye. I'm ready for a simple night of getting to know this enigma of a man.

.

.

.

"You cooked?" I ask in surprise.

"It's just pasta, Bella. Simple right?" he says, with a wink as he stirs the sauce. I'm fascinated by the way the veins in his forearm strain as he maneuvers the spoon.

"Is there anything you're not good at?"

He looks up to the ceiling as if he's sincerely giving my question some thought.

"Um… no, I can't think of anything." He says and resumes stirring.

"Conceited!" I snort.

"Did you call me conceited? After I've brought you to my house and I'm now slaving over this stove making you a 'simple' dinner, after I agreed to this 'simple' date? I'm crushed, Bella."

I love when he's like this. He's so cute. It just makes me want to give him any and everything he asks for.

"I'm sorry. You're gorgeous and not conceited, just confident." I joke back. " Have I told you how beautiful your house is by the way? But everything you own is beautiful, so it's no surprise, I guess. How did you become so successful, anyway?"

"And it begins." He sings, as he pulls the spoon out of the sauce and presents it to me to sample, but not before he blows on it, making sure it's cooled down just enough. I lean in and taste the sauce, and it's perfect. My mom used to make sauce like this. She would have flipped.

"Is it good?" I nod, looking directly into his eyes. "And to answer the first of many questions you probably have, I run my parent's oil company. Come with me."

He takes my hand and leads me over to the other side of the counter.

"You're in charge of the bread. Can you handle taking this out to the deck? I thought it would be relaxing to spend the night having dinner out there.

I roll my eyes and pick up the basket with the delicious smelling warm bread. _Did he bake this! No way! _He sees my reaction and quickly clarifies his question.

"I didn't mean that in a bad way. I just didn't want you to ruin your dress with the olive oil that's on the bread."

"It's okay. I can manage. Should I carry anything else?"

"Maybe the salad. I can handle the rest. Just make yourself comfortable. I'll be out in a moment."

I juggle the bread, the salad bowl and wine glasses in my arms and place them on the table out on the deck. It's so beautiful. The whole house is, but the view out here is phenomenal. _Man I could get used to this._ I trail my fingertips along one of the chaise lounges and end up reclining back in it.

"I could feed you while you relax there" he says, carrying plates piled with pasta and a bottle tucked under his arm.

"Then where would you eat?" I ask, getting up and taking one of the plates from his hand.

"Well, we could share the chair and the food…for starters….then share a lot more."

"Do you ever quit?"

"No." He pulls out my chair and helps me to sit.

I dig into the pasta before he even makes it to his seat. It's so good. Is this man real? There's obviously nothing that he doesn't excel at…_I wonder._

"No way, it's my turn. This is going to be a fair deal. A question for a question." He says, pointing at me with his fork.

"Okay, shoot." I say, taking a bite of the delicious bread.

"What's your full name?"

"Isabella." I say, covering my mouth while I chew.

"Isabella what?"

"Swan."

"Really? He says with a huge grin. "How fitting." He twirls pasta onto his fork.

"What's yours?" he looks up at me and frowns.

"I thought you knew it. I mean you had my phone. I know damn well you went through it," he says with a cocky look on his face. My face instantly warms up.

"I did not!" My voice rises an octave higher, my eyes widening at his arrogance.

"Yeah right…" he says with a scoff. "It's Edward Cullen.

Man this is easier than I thought it would be."

"See, I told you…simple." I say, taking a sip from my glass and shaking my head at him. He can be so frustrating.

Dinner is delicious. It's beyond delicious. I'd rather have dinner like this every night with him than go to any fancy restaurant. The last thing I expected was to see him standing in a kitchen, making pasta with homemade marinara sauce. It wasn't like the normal way a man would fumble around the kitchen, banging pots and accidently burning or cutting fingers. The way he would get this crinkle between his eyebrows when he was concentrating showed me that he's a man that thrives on perfection. I wish that I could be everything that he would want in a woman.

When we finish our meal, he suggests that we move to the lounge to relax. There are two sofas, but we end up on the same one with me reclining at one end against the soft plush cushions and him at the other. We're getting to know each other. He tells me about his brother James, and how he's the player of the century, but that he loves him probably more than he knows. And how the sister that he nicknamed _Smidge_ is a huge pain in the ass, but he can't imagine life without her. I can't understand why he was so secretive before. He obviously adores his family. I know there's more, but I don't want to pry, when everything is going so perfectly.

"What about your parent's?" I ask, making sure my dress is properly tucked underneath me.

"Ahh…CC and Esme. They would send you running away, screaming."

"CC? And why would I be screaming?" I know I must have a strange look on my face, because he laughs a little too loudly at my questions.

"CC stands for Carlisle Cullen, and my parents are just really hard people to…associate with sometimes. They're very business minded." He hands me my glass, refilled. Besides, I'm the more interesting Cullen, wouldn't you agree?

"I don't know, I think James might be a ton of fun." I say, taking a huge swig of my drink. He shoots me a warning look as if to say 'watch it Swan'. I giggle heartily.

"You think you're funny don't you?"

I shrug, feigning nonchalance. "You're not the only one who can be charming, Mr. Cullen."

"Are you talking about yourself or James, because you have never met the guy and you…"

"Jealous are we?" I ask, feeling a little smug, I'm sure due to the exquisite wine I'm enjoying.

"I…I'm not…"

For the first time Edward is losing his cool and stammering over the thought of his brother possibly claiming his territory. _Wait what… territory?_

I decide to place the rest of the drink, despite its deliciousness, back on the end table, out of harms reach.

"You think I'm bad, you should meet James sometime."

"I would love to." I say, in the most innocent of voices.

He whirls around with his mouth slightly agape. He looks so adorable.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Bella." His statement is serious, but his expression isn't.

"Sorry," I say, holding up both of my hands in defeat.

"Are you comfortable?" he asks, unbuckling the straps of my sandals.

"Yeah, I could sleep right here in this chair and never wake up."

He gently removes my shoes from my feet and starts massaging them. It doesn't feel like his normal seduction routine…it feels like…he's taking care of me. He smirks at the effect he know he's having on me.

"So, tell me about your mom," he says, and I immediately stiffen. He looks at me with a concerned expression. "Was I too rough?" his hands hesitantly stop caressing my foot.

"No, that feels divine." I say, slightly easing my foot back in his grasp so that he'd continue. She…my mom is no longer living. She died when I was twelve." His hands pause again.

"I'm sorry." He says, raising a hand to my cheek.

"It's okay." She was sick….cancer. She was the best person, though. I miss her a lot." He's now sitting closer to me, stroking my cheek more firmly. The look in his eyes as I tell him about my mom is so compassionate. It's the first time I've ever talked about her illness with anyone other than my dad. Rose and Angela are aware of what happened, but I've never gone into detail. It's too hard to talk about the stages of pain that she endured…that we all endured. It doesn't upset me as much as I thought it would. He's so attentive, rubbing soothing circles on my back, but I don't want this night to get so deep, with commiserations and apologies, reopening old wounds. I just want it to be 'simple'.

"Has your father thought about remarrying?"

"The chief? I scoff. I'd like to see that."

"So, how much trouble would I be in if the 'chief' found out about what we were doing on my yacht? He asks, as his hands are slowly making their way up my calves. Or what we were doing at the club."

"He would probably blast your naughty parts off." I say, with a giggle. He winces, removes his hands from my legs and stands up.

"You know, you should never use the word blast in conjunction with my…what did you call it...'naughty parts' in the same sentence. It's an instant mood killer, Bella." He looks exasperated as he contemplates whether my father would actually resort to shooting him in the nuts for fraternizing with his daughter.

"I was kidding." I stand up with him, grabbing his hand away from his hair, which he's now tugging on relentlessly. He looks down at me and encircles my waist with his arms, pulling me closer to him.

"So, is this simple enough or do I have to work harder to please you?"

"Is it really that hard, Edward? I mean to share parts of yourself with me." I elaborate on my question when I see one of his eyebrows slowly rise. It's like dangling raw meat in front of a famished lion. He'd have responded with all kinds of sexual innuendos if I hadn't carried on.

"It isn't that bad." He responds passively, any trace of deviant thought gone.

For some reason, we're swaying back and forth as if there's music playing. It's like the most natural thing in the world, to be in his arms like this.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask, as my arms come up to lock behind his neck.

"I don't know…can you? He retorts sarcastically, but I ignore him. There's something that's been bothering me for a while…something that he said that's stuck in the back of my mind. I need to know what it was that he meant by it, or it's going to drive me crazy.

"What did you mean the other night, when you said that I was 'forbidden."

He stops our swaying, leans back slightly and stares at me intently.

"You're everything any man could want, Bella Swan." He says, tracing my bottom lip with his thumb.

"And everything a man like me shouldn't."

"I don't…understand." I say, resisting the urge to let my tongue discreetly slip out and taste his finger.

"I don't want to hurt you, Bella."

"Then don't." This time the urge turns into full-blown nerve, as I draw his thumb into my mouth briefly, letting it slide slowly from my lips. He paints the residual wetness over my lips with his thumb.

"I don't know what you want." He says, in a whispery tone.

"Don't you?" I ask, leaning in close and kissing him softly.

"You have to say the words Bella, because I don't think I can do what I did the other night. I can't just feel like this and let you walk away from me this time. You have to tell me what you want."

"What do _you _want Edward?"

"There's been no secret as to what I want. I've shown you."

"I need to hear the words, Edward," I say, throwing his words back at him. I thought that would definitely grant me a sexy grin or a laugh with devilish meaning behind it, but I was wrong. He's serious. "Sex? That's what you want?" I say, trying to pull away from him, but he just holds on tighter.

"I want you, Bella…I want you to spend the night with me." His hands slide up my back, playing with ends of my hair. Something's different about the way he says it this time. When he asked me to stay the night on the yacht, it was filled with sarcasm and confidence. Now it feels like he actually wants more than just sex…like he wants all of me.

"I want you to stay, but you have to tell me that you want this too."

"I've wanted you from the first moment I saw you." I say, with my eyes focused directly on the splash of hair peeking out from the two buttons undone on his shirt.

"And?" he asks, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze. "Do you want me now?"

I nod my response and bite my bottom lip in anxiety.

"Tell me, Bella." He says, leaning his forehead against mine and closing his eyes. "Tell me that you want to stay. Tell me that you want me to make love to you."

My body trembles and my eyes flutter closed as I feel a tear trickle from the corner. The only sound that's audible is the faint whisper of five beautiful words.

"I'm in love with you."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	10. Chapter 10, Not So Simple

**Chapter 10: Not so simple**

* * *

**Disclaimer I own nothing. (Twilight)**

******WARNING**! **Lemons ahead!******

**Chapter I0**

_**BPOV**_

"_I'm in love with you."_

His body goes rigid and I snap my eyes wide open. I'm still in shock that those words just fell out of my mouth. I had no intention of saying them. It seemed to be a completely involuntary reaction to the feelings he was arousing in me. He pulls away from me and straightens up to his full height; and instantly I feel small, insignificant and above all, vulnerable. He stares at me like I've just grown a monstrous second head. I don't know what to do, so I backpedal.

"Edward I…I…God I'm so stupid." I whisper, my hand clasped over my mouth. My words are a jumbled mess. I pull away from him and watch as his hands lazily drop from my waist.

"I have to get out of here."

I look around, desperately looking for my shoes and purse that seem to conveniently be missing.

"Bella?" he says, in a hushed tone almost too low for me to hear. I don't answer him.

"You don't have to drive me. I can call a cab or get Angela to come and pick me up or something." The words rush out of my mouth, making me sound even more frazzled. I'm racing around the room like someone's chasing me. I have to get out. In my haste, I knock over the glass of wine that's sitting on the table.

"Shit!" I gasp, looking at the mess I've created on his beautiful cream- colored carpet. I desperately look around for something to clean it up with and find a napkin at the table where we had dinner. I grab it, drop to my knees and start to blot the spill.

"Bella?" he repeats, standing over the top of me. I don't get up or reply. My focus is on getting his precious carpet back to normal and getting the hell of his house, as fast as my bare feet will allow.

"Bella?" He speaks for a third turn, only this time he's on the floor with me. "Bella stop!" he says, pulling my hands away from the wet carpet.

"I've ruined your carpet," I say apologetically, but what I really mean is 'I've ruined the entire night.'

"You haven't ruined anything. It was an accident, Bella."

I don't know if he means me knocking over the glass of wine or the declaration I've just laid on him.

I blame him. This is his fault. He's doing these things to me, making me feel crazy and out of control. One minute, things feel normal, then in a blink of an eye the mood switches to me being mesmerized and placed in a sexual predicament, with him pulling all the strings.

I feel embarrassed and foolish. How could I have let something so intimate slip out so carelessly. All I want to do is leave and forget it ever happened.

When I'm satisfied that his carpet is as good as it will get, I stand and slide my feet into my sandals. He stands almost as soon I do, holding on to my arm as I try to regain my footing.

"I'm sorry," I say, turning toward the door and quickly making for the threshold. I'll have to call a cab once I'm outside. I can't spend another moment in here with him. As I reach for the doorknob, he's instantly behind me.

"Please don't leave." I can feel the warmth of his body wash over me. "Talk to me."

I inhale deeply then exhale even more sharply.

"About what?" I ask, knowing full well what he's talking about.

"About anything," he says removing my purse that I'm clutching tightly to my chest, like a sleeping child squeezing the life out of its teddy. "Talk to me about why you're running away."

"I'm not running. I just want to go."

"Why Bella...because you said what you were feeling?"

My shoulders slump slightly. A part of me was hoping, praying that he hadn't heard what I'd said, now that hope is dashed.

I'm still facing the door while he's talking to me. I don't want to make eye contact with him. If I look at him now, the last shred of dignity I have will unravel, and I'll break down in front of him.

"I just want to go, Edward…please. I don't want you to try and convince me to stay. I don't want you to be charming, the way you always are. You make me second-guess myself all the time. I just want to go."

I'm sure he can hear the cracking in my voice now as I fight for control of my emotions. He grabs me gently around the waist and spins me around. He isn't going to listen, he's going to charm me and break down my already crumbling walls of resistance.

He looks at me and I'm not sure if his expression is because he's hurt by what I've said or if it's just plain pity for me. I'm surprised when he hands me my purse back and opens the door, offering for me to exit first. I look at him then at the door.

"Thank you." I say, stepping out swiftly.

"I'm not letting you leave like this." His voice sounds business like; all traces of humor and charm gone.

"Edward, please I just…."

"Look, Bella I just want to take you home." He says with his palms held up in front of him. I won't be able to concentrate with you out there by yourself. "I promise I won't try anything. I just want to get you home safely, okay?"

I've even managed to bring down his mood and that's a feat. A man like Edward never seems to let things get to him. He always has some sort of comeback, but not this time.

I blink up at him searching his face for signs of the man I've come to know in the past couple of weeks, but see no trace of him.

"Okay." I say softly and we leave together, walking to his garage at a fast pace.

.

.

.

The silence is deafening. We say absolutely nothing for the entire ride. There isn't even music playing. All that can be heard is the distant sounds of car horns and night creatures. I don't remember it being quite so eerie in this neighborhood.

There's a feeling of déjà vu lurking as we sit in his car in front of my house, except this time I don't wait. I get out the car without uttering a word to him and shut the door.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Bella," he says, loudly enough to stop me in my tracks. He doesn't look at me; he just stares straight ahead as if he's more concerned about what he sees ahead.

"Yes it does," I say, making my way to the front porch.

"Why?" his voice is louder this time, and he also decides to get out of the car. In three quick strides he's caught up to me and grabs me by the elbow.

"I can't do this, Edward."

"Do what, Bella? God… I mean if it bothers you that much, then just take it back, say it was a lie or something."

I scoff and shake my head at his nonchalant way of erasing someone telling him they're in love with him.

"It would be so easy if I could do just that…but I can't."

"Are you?" he asks. His grip on my arm softens.

"Am I what?" I ask. I don't like where this line of questioning is going at all. And faced with his question, I find myself unable to define what I really feel.

"Are you in love with me, Bella?"

"I…I don't…I don't know." I'm finally able to force out.

"Then why did you say it?"

"I don't know." I say, pulling my arm away. He sighs heavily and comes to stand in front of me.

"Can we just start over, before everything got so complicated?" he says, running his hand up the nape of my neck and threading his finger through my hair.

"We can't…I can't. It's too late."

My body shivers from the way his fingertips are slowly massaging my scalp. I reach up and place my hand gently over his, letting it linger for a moment, before I pull his hand from the back of my head.

"So this is it, we just act as if we never met?" His voice is angry and laced with disappointment. I cringe at his words and at the meaning they hold, but I nod hesitantly.

"You're unbelievable, you know that." He spits harshly, and I flinch in response.

He's angry; this time there's no doubting it. My lips start to quiver and tears escape, I couldn't stop them if I tried.

He narrows his eyes at me and a confident look blooms across his face. The sexy smirk is back. _Does he think this is funny? Does he think I'm a joke?_

I duck my head, angrily wiping at my tears. He thinks that this is a joke, that I'm a joke.

"You're a fucking liar, Bella!" He says, with his index finger pointed in my direction and walking closer. He tenderly grabs me by the back of my neck, pulling me into a passionate kiss that melts me to the very core…a kiss that ends too quickly.

"You're a liar," he whispers for a second time against my lips. You want me as much as I want you and don't bother denying that fact," he says in between kisses.

"You don't want this to be over, Brown Eyes, but I'll tell you what I'll do. I'm going to go, so you can have some time to think." He kisses me again, longer this time. "But I'm not letting you walk away from me again," he finishes with one last kiss, making me whimper.

He releases me and walks back to his car, driving off without a backward glance. Angela appears and finds me standing in a daze, my hand touching my lips.

"You are home way too early missy." She says with a tap on my shoulder. I just continue to stare at the taillights of his car that are rapidly fading into the distance. When I can no longer see even a trace, I break down, sobbing into Angela's arms about how stupid I am.

"Oh my God! I'm so stupid." I scream, not caring that I'm probably disturbing the neighbors.

I push past Angela and race up the stairs, sobbing uncontrollably

* * *

**EPOV**

_This is getting ridiculous. I know she wants me, so what's with all the cat and mouse games?_ It's never taken me so much effort and time to bed a woman before. I'm usually spending all of my time and effort trying to get them out of it, but Bella is different. There's just something about her that intrigues the hell out of me. She's beautiful without even trying. She has no idea just how beautiful she is and the effect she has on men; the effect she's having on one man in particular.

I want Bella. There's no denying that, but I know I'm kidding myself. I'm getting married in less than a month and Bella knows nothing about the wedding or Tanya. It will crush her. She's already told me she's in love with me and while that may or may not be true, I know she feels something for me.

I'm back at the beach house, thinking over all of the events that have led up to this point. I want to call her, but I meant what I said about giving her time to think. Thinking will be good for both of us. Although my thinking seems to be only about the severe case of blue balls I'm going to have, fucking around with this woman. She's worth it though.

I walk to the kitchen and grab a beer from the fridge, and my memory alerts me that I was actually in this very kitchen cooking…for a female, nonetheless. _I must be fucking losing it,_ I think, running a hand through my hair.

There has never been a woman before Bella, who both infuriates and makes me hard enough to cut glass at the same time. My body sinks down into the chaise lounge that she and I shared earlier. The same lounge where, without a moment's hesitation, I massaged her feet. _What the fuck, Cullen?_

Bella has me doing things that I would laugh at the average man for doing. I need to get some perspective on this situation and fast. _I'm doing this for the sex, right?_ I somehow don't know anymore.

Taking a hearty swig, I think back to the night on the yacht, and the way her eyes raked over my body as I stood before her. I smirk to myself. She reacted exactly the way I knew she would. She was stammering and blushing like crazy, and I fucking loved it. If only that phone hadn't rung. I would be buried in her at this very moment.

There's no way I can continue sitting in this chair, thinking about sex with Bella. The scent she left all over this chair, hell this very house, is paralyzing me. _Fucking warm, cinnamon apple pie and vanilla bean ice cream._

"Sounds fucking awesome after the night I had, that would be the cherry on top. So to speak." James says, walking out onto the deck, looking like he just went ten rounds with Victoria; and I don't mean in a boxing ring.

Obviously, I must be talking out loud to myself.

"Yeah, well at least one of us got fucked," I say bitterly, as I decide to move to the Bella-free lounge.

"You're having problems getting laid?" his voice is shaking with humor. I don't want to go there, so I divert with a question of my own.

"What did you see in Leah?"

His fists instantly clench and his jaw tightens. He is pissed off that I even mentioned her precious name.

"Calm the fuck down. I didn't mean it like that. I meant…" _Fuck I don't know what I meant._ "What drew you to her? I mean, of course she was beautiful, but was there something special that made her stand out from all the other women you've dealt with?"

His stance softens as he listens to my clarification.

"What's this about man?"

"I just want to know, why her?"

He huffs out a huge gust of air and sits on the Bella-infused chair, with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Leah was perfect; in _every_ sense of the word. That's all you need to know." He says, grabbing the opened bottle of wine that's left over from the stupid 'simple' date. I'm sure it's already warm, but that doesn't seem to stop him from chugging on it uncaringly.

"So much for warm apple pie 'a la mode." He says, rising from the chair, taking the bottle with him. "Thanks for the mood kill bro," he yells over his shoulder.

I rest my head back and close my eyes. I said I would give her time, but it's getting harder to keep that promise the more I think about her. The fact that my name is Edward Cullen means that I always get what I want, so I say 'fuck it' and whip out my phone to text her. There's no harm in that.

* * *

**BPOV**

My phone keeps alerting me to an incoming text message, but I don't want to check it in fear that it's from him.

Angela knocks and pokes her head into my bedroom, asking if it's okay to come in.

"I come bearing comfort foods. I have hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. God, you can tell we work at Starbuck's," she says, shaking her head.

She's right about one thing, chocolate is just what I need right now.

"You want to male bash?"

"No, but feel free to do so." I say, taking a bite of a cookie.

"Nah, it doesn't work unless two parties are involved in the bashing. You want to talk about what hap…"

"I told him I was in love with him," I say, cutting her off mid-sentence. Her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Oh…um…wow!"

"I know. I'm an idiot!"

"No you're not. You're simply...emotional, but do you love him, Bella?" she asks, with a slight grimace on her face.

"I think I do…I don't know. I don't know who I am or what I'm doing when I'm with him. He was asking all these questions and I couldn't think. The next thing I knew, I was telling him that I was in love with him. He's like some sort of magician-cum-manipulator that's warping my thoughts. It's like he's reading my mind and drawing my thoughts out to the surface."

She looks at me as if I've lost my last brain cell.

"What kinds of questions was he asking?"

"They weren't questions per se; they were more like statements..."

"Okay." She says, shifting her position to sit Indian-style.

"He wanted me to say that I wanted to spend the night with him and for him to make love to me, but all I could say was that I was in love with him," I say, throwing a hand over my eyes and shaking my head in disgust. After I said it, I flipped out and asked him to bring me home."

"Well, how did he react? Did he freak out?"

"No, just the opposite, he was acting all nonchalant about it. He still wants to see me. I just don't know if I can do that now."

My phone buzzes again, and both of our heads whip around, staring in its direction.

"You think that's him?"

I nod in response.

"Well, aren't you the least bit interested in what he has to say?"

I shake my head in response.

"Aww, come on, Bella. He texted you, which means he's interested." She says, getting off of the bed to retrieve the phone.

"Here, you know it's killing you to know what it says," she holds the phone out for to me to take.

"You read it, I'm too nervous." I push it back in her direction. She complies and reads out loud.

_"I can't stop thinking about u_. _**E"**_

My head snaps up. Angela looks at me with a smug smile on her face. I snatch the phone from her hands and reread the message as if she's lying to me. I notice that there are two other messages from him as well.

_"I know I said I would give u time 2 think, but would I b me if I didn't at least try? **E"**_

I open the next message and read.

_"I can still smell ur scent all over the beach house and it's driving me crazy…I wish u were here. **E"**_

I chew on my thumbnail and toss the phone onto the bed.

"Damn him! See that, this is what he does," I say, pointing at the phone.

She looks at me as if I've just gone off the deep end.

"He said he would give me time to think, and as always he's being charming and downright pushy! I can't think like this. I need a shower."

I storm off, slamming the door, leaving Angela staring at me in complete bewilderment.

.

.

.

It's dark, but my eyes are focused on the ceiling. My brain is focused on Edward.

"How long did it take for you to say it to Mike?"

She laughs, but it isn't a happy one; it's more like a scoff laced with venom.

"I said it the first time we had sex, so roughly around the three month mark."

She pulls the blanket up to her shoulders and turns to face the wall.

"He's not Mike, Bella."

After a while, I hear her soft snoring. I clone her position, retrieve my phone from beneath my pillow and type a reply.

_I wish I were there too. **B**_

I nestle into my pillow and wait for sleep to overtake me.

* * *

After work I decide to take Sadie for a walk at the park.

"Sadie! Comeback!" I yell, as I watch her dash across the park. That dog is going to send me to an early grave. I take off, running after her, not paying attention to anything, and I slam right into someone. Fortunately I leave them standing.

"Hey, where's the fire?" he asks, and I'm momentarily blinded by gorgeous, shiny, white teeth.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I say, out of breath. I was just chasing my dog… "You're Jake right?"

"You remember…and you're Bella." He says, confidently. "Your pup is in good company, by the way. It looks like she's found Lola."

He steps aside so I can see Sadie and Lola playfully, chasing each other on the grass, which is weird for two female dogs.

"That's so cute. They're getting along." I say, tucking the loose strands of hair that's slipped from my ponytail.

"Yeah, it seems they are. Are you okay? You slammed into me pretty hard."

"Yeah, I'm fine. You saved me. If I hadn't run into you, I'm sure I would have landed either on my face or on my ass."

"Wouldn't have wanted to see that." He laughs.

We walk around the park talking about nothing and everything. He's so easy to get to know and easy on the eyes as well. I haven't really noticed how muscular and defined his arms were before. It also dons a tribal style tattoo around the bicep. He's definitely hot.

_Maybe Angela would be open to meeting someone new._

I know it's a little premature to be trying to hook her up, but he seems like the perfect gentlemen. He's funny, cute and his body is to die for. He'd most certainly help her get over Mike.

Jake and I stop at a cart in the park and grab some lunch. We sit at one of the picnic tables, talking and laughing like we've been friends for years.

He offers to give me a ride home, and I accept since Sadie and I walked to the park today. I hadn't noticed that it had gotten so late, until I see the sun starting to set. I hop down out of his truck and whistle for Sadie to follow. She comes bounding out of the truck, nearly knocking me over and keeps charging toward the backyard. Jake comes around the side to see if I need any help. We both jump at the sound of screeching tires coming from behind us. I whirl around and my eyes settle on Edward's. He doesn't look in the best of moods. My heart's thumping out of my chest, and I don't know if it's from being startled by the screeching of his car or the way he's glaring at me from behind the windshield.

"You know him?" Jake asks, nodding in Edward's direction.

"Um…yeah…he's um…"

"Who am I, Bella?" he says, stepping out of the car.

_Does he have bionic ears or something? Maybe he can read lips. _In any case, I'm suddenly feeling the tension in the air. Fury is coming off him in waves.

"Wha…"

"He asked you a legitimate question, and I for one, would like to hear the answer."

I stand there, astonished, blinking rapidly. Jake moves back to within my eyesight, trying to get my attention.

"It's obvious you have some things to sort out, so I'll take that as my cue to leave." He hands me Sadie's leash and shuts the passenger door.

"Yeah, you do that." Edward spits.

He's jealous…seriously jealous. You can see the muscles in his jaw flexing, from him clenching his teeth over and over.

Jake shoots him a nasty glare, and I know things are about to get ugly.

"Thanks Jake, I had fun."

"Anytime, Izzy Bee." I blush at the use of the nickname I told him Rose has for me. I look over at Edward, and I can literally see smoke coming from his ears. "So, we're on for next week?" he asks, staring directly at Edward, I'm sure trying to elicit some sort of reaction from him.

"Um…yeah, next week is good."

He gives Edward one last glare, smiles at me then jumps into his truck and speeds off.

"So, Izzy Bee, two guys at once, that's how you like it, huh?"

"What the hell did you just say to me?" I spin around suddenly, shooting daggers at him.

"Who the fuck is he, Bella?"

"What? You have no right to come here questioning me about what I do or who I see."

"Bullshit! Another question you've managed to avoid."

"You would know. You're the master of avoidance."

I cannot believe we've gone from seductively dancing and jet skiing to this, all in a matter of days. He's saying the vilest things to me, all because he's jealous.

He turns around as if he's going to leave, but he pauses, tugging on his hair fiercely.

"Come on." He says, grabbing hold of my wrist.

"What? I'm not going anywhere with you." I snatch my wrist away, and I see a look in his eyes I haven't witnessed before…rage.

He closes the gap between us and in one agile motion, hoists me over his shoulder.

"Put me down, Edward!" I scream, my voice sounding muffled from being upside down. "Let me go!" I kick my legs and pound on his back as he stalks over to his car.

"Settle down or I'll have to punish you," he says in a tranquil voice.

"Wha… punish? What are you talking about?" I say, looking around, waiting for something to happen.

_Is he going to spank me? No way!_

He lets my body slide down his with ease and yanks the door open for me to enter.

"No." I say, my arms folded stubbornly across my chest.

"Get in the car, Bella, or so help me I'll put you in it, and I'm not playing games."

I don't budge. Instead, my eyes are daring him to try it…bad mistake. He lifts me bridal style and roughly places me in the car. He moves around to the other side, while I fight with the handle. _Damn it! He's locked it._

_._

_._

_._

"Put your seatbelt on," he orders. I'm pissed off, but I'm not about to argue with him, especially with the erratic way he's driving.

"This is kidnapping." I say, locking the belt around me.

"Said the chief's daughter. I told you I would give you a pass, but the fantasy remains."

I roll my eyes at his blatant attempt at humor and reach over to turn on some music to drown out his voice. I press enter on the first song I come across and 'Addicted to you by Simple Plane' blasts through the car. _How fitting. _ He glances at me with a humorous expression.

I'm so angry with him that I lose track of the time we spend driving, and I'm surprised when we pull up to the front of the beach house. He's out of the car and at my door in a millisecond. I just sit there ignoring him like a petulant child.

"Bella." He says, in warning.

I don't want him carrying me around like some caveman, so I concede and follow him of my own accord.

He tosses his keys on the white leather sofa and walks over to the bar.

"You want a glass of wine?" he asks, filling two glasses without waiting for my answer.

"You're insane. You think you can just flip out, kidnap me and then smooth it over with wine. Go to hell, Edward!"

"Damn it! That fucking mouth of yours!" He slams the bottle down on the bar and some of the contents shoot out of the top. "Where was all this feistiness before, huh?"

I blink at him and realize I'm acting rather out of character, but it's because of everything he's done tonight.

"I'm leaving!"

I walk toward the door, and he blocks my path.

"Oh no! Not this time, Brown Eyes. I'm getting sick of this shit. You're not going anywhere. We're going to figure out what's going on between us, right fucking now. No one leaves!"

"Edward, let me out of here, now!" I say, through clenched teeth.

"Mmmmm. I like feisty Bella," he says, walking toward me. Every step he takes, I take one backward. "I wonder how she fucks."

That's it. His attitude is beyond deplorable. I draw back my hand and slap him clean across the face. He touches his cheek and looks back at me, smiling with his bottom lip trapped in-between his teeth.

"You're a son of a bitch." My voice trembles in anger.

"Tell me something I haven't heard." He says sarcastically.

He steps closer.

"I wish I'd never met you."

More steps.

I kept moving backward until my back makes contact with the wall.

"I hate you."

He stands, in front of me without our bodies touching.

"No you don't." He leans in, kissing me softly. His tongue slips into my mouth and mingles with mine perfectly.

I hear a delicate hum from deep within his chest when my hand tugs on his hair, but he pulls away too soon and is watching me intensely.

"Who was he?" he asks, while unbuttoning my shirt.

"I just met him. He's only a friend," I whisper.

"Promise me you won't see him again."

"But he's only a friend, Edward."

"He doesn't look at you like a friend. Promise me." He says, tossing my shirt on the floor behind him.

"You have to trust me."

"Why should I? You still haven't said what I need to hear."

"I want to stay with you…tonight."

"And?" he asks, pulling his shirt over his head. I gulp at the sight of his bare chest. I'll never get tired of seeing him like this.

"I want you…." my voice trails off as I struggle with what he wants me to say.

"Yeah?" he says, as his fingers linger at the top of my jeans briefly, before popping the button open.

"I want you to make love to me," I say with newly found confidence, while staring him hopelessly in the eyes.

Something inside of him snaps at those words, and we're panting, moaning, sucking and fumbling our way up the stairs to his bedroom.

He lifts me up when we reach the door, and my legs automatically wrap around his waist. He walks us over and tosses me effortlessly onto the bed. He stands at the foot and removes his pants.

_Nobody leaves. _ His voice echoes in my head. I crawl to the end of the bed to assist with his boxers, but he stills my hands and shakes his head.

"Take those off." He gestures toward my unbuttoned jeans.

I stand and slide them down my legs and kick them to the side. He walks closer to me and tells me to turn around so that my back is facing his front. He unhooks my bra, while kissing the middle of my back. The straps slowly slide off of my shoulders, and the bra hits the floor. I can feel him kissing every inch of my nakedness from shoulders to tailbone.

He drops to his knees and inches my panties down with his fingers. They soon join my bra and jeans that are scattered on the floor. His hands are massaging my ass firmly, yet delicately as his lips once again meet my flesh. This time, he's kissing and sucking on the place where his hands have just left. I feel like I'm in another time…another place. No one has ever taken the time to worship my body in this way. My head lolls back, and I'm moaning. When I feel the wetness of his tongue slide down the crevice of my ass, my eyes fly open, and my back arches from the sensation.

"Relax," he says, rising to his feet.

I realize he's taken off his boxers when he moves to stand in front of me. He pulls me to him as he sits on the bed. His lips place soft kisses just above my navel, and my knees start to buckle. I reach out to hold onto his shoulders to balance myself, and he grabs the back of my thighs, guiding me to straddle him, while he sucks relentlessly on my nipples; successfully alternating between the two so neither one feels neglected.

"Oh God!"

I feel his cock twitching against my stomach, wetness oozing from it. He snakes his hand between us and slowly drags his index finger up my slit.

"Christ, you're drenched already!"

I blush at his bluntness and kiss him passionately to show him it's because of him…all for him. I move my hips closer, making contact with his very prominent erection.

"Ahh fuck, Brown Eyes, what are you trying to do to me?"

Suddenly, I'm airborne and lying on my back with Edward hovering over me. He reaches over to his bed-stand, grabs a shiny gold square packet and hands it to me. My hands are shaking when I take it from him, and he notices.

"Put it on me."

I've never put one on a guy before, but I don't want him to know just how inexperienced I am, so I still my hands as much as I can and reach down with both hands to slide the condom onto him. The want to feel him without any barriers nags at me. I snake my hand between our bodies, gently take his hardness in my hand and stroke.

He shuts his eyes tightly, and his body convulses slightly.

"Bella please!" his voice is strangled, sounding almost tortured. I roll the condom down over his impressive length. Instead of him lowering himself onto me, he braces himself up on his hands.

"Spread your legs."

He reaches down grasping his cock and swipes it four times up and down my entrance, spreading the wetness. He enters me with one swift thrust.

"Oh!" I gasp.

My fingers dig into his smooth muscular ass from the harshness of the entry. It hurts beyond explanation, but something about it is surreal. My body practically screams for more, as he starts thrusting and pumping in and out of me with reckless abandon. He stares deeply into my eyes as my body moves up and down with his steady rhythm. I can feel every muscle in his body contract with each movement. I'm desperate to feel every inch of his skin on mine, but he holds himself above me, driving into me with force.

My hand brushes back a lock of hair that's tumbled forward onto his forehead, and I watch as his face begins to soften. He turns his head to kiss the inside of my wrist, and the mood shifts from primal fucking to incredible, passionate sex between two people.

"Fuck, you feel so good. No one's ever felt like you," he says, while he ducks his head to watch his cock sliding in and out of me.

"Ughh…Edward!" I groan and wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper. That's all it takes.

"Oh fuck, baby!" he hisses and lowers his body, capturing my lips. I tilt my head to the side so I can feel every inch of his tongue with mine. He's such an amazing kisser. His moans are vibrating throughout my entire body and doing the most indescribable things to the parts below the belt. We kiss until he's no longer able to find the breath to continue. His hands reach under me, grabbing each buttock as he spreads me wider and rotates his hips in a circular motion.

My hands have taken up residence on the headboard above me. I hold on for dear life. Our noises are bordering on being animalistic.

I can feel him getting close, because the circular movements have turned into quick, sharp thrusts.

"Oh fuck…fuck!" he grinds out, his head buried in my neck. "Cum baby...I'm so close! Cum for me!"

"Oh God…Edward….Ahh!Ahhhhh!"

My body explodes and shudders in ecstasy, and he doesn't stop thrusting. I feel him swelling inside of me. My hands grip his ass to control his movements and he pumps at a slower, maddening pace.

My legs feel numb as they drop slowly from around his waist and tangle with his legs. He repositions them and keeps up with the slow, deep penetration.

Something weird is happening. I feel a familiar tingling in my stomach, but a feeling enhances it, I can only describe it as the way I felt before, during and after I bungee jumped last year.

Edward leans up on one hand and starts rubbing in between my legs with the other. My eyes must tell him everything that's going on in my head, because he smirks at me and rubs and thrusts harder.

"That's right, cum again baby. Just let go." He leans down and sucks my nipple. My eyes flutter closed, and I can't hold it any longer.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" I scream, my neck and my back arching off the bed.

"Fuuuckkkkk!" He yells, as his sweat drenched body limply falls onto mine.

Our breathing is labored and hoarse.

"That was so fucking worth the wait." He pants into my neck.

My eyes are looking up at the ceiling, but I can't see a thing. Hair is plastered to my forehead, and I can feel him twitching inside of me.

"Are you okay?" He raises his head looking directly into my eyes. His hand comes up to brush away the wet hair from my face.

"Okay is an understatement, don't you think?" I say, breathing heavily ruffling the front of his hair.

He slides out of me with ease, and we both wince from the sensitivity.

"Ahh." He rolls onto his back and removes the condom, tossing it into the wastebasket next to the bed.

"I want you to stay," he says, reaching over to me and dragging me across the bed by my waist. I don't think I could leave, even if I wanted to. My body won't allow me to perform such a physical act at the moment.

"Okay." I simply respond, and rest my head on his chest. He reaches across the bed for the duvet and pulls it up around us.

"Definitely worth the wait." I say, as I snuggle comfortably into his warmth and drift off.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**Thanks for reading…. Please review**


	11. Chapter 11, UNO!

**Chapter 11: UNO!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything (Twilight.**

*****Warning! Lemons straight ahead*****

**Chapter 11**

_**BPOV**_

I stretch and feel a familiar, yet satisfying ache throughout my entire body, especially in between the junction of my thighs. Sex has never felt like this before. Every muscle is deliciously worked to the maximum. My eyes flutter open and focus on the wild scattered mess of hair that rests on my lower abdomen. I smile contentedly and gently run my fingers through it. I've always wanted to do that, and just as I always expected, once is not enough. I sink my fingers in deeper, scratching his scalp and am rewarded with a groan, and a poke in the thigh from his reawakened cock.

"Mmmm, don't stop doing that" he says groggily. His voice is thick with sleep and exhaustion.

_When did we get into this position?_ The last thing I recall is drifting off to sleep, lying on top of him. Now the roles are reversed. This must have occurred after he pulled me up onto his body and spread me open for round two.

**Flashback**

"_I want you again." His hand trails from the top of my spinal cord down to the small of my back. A second hand is added, squeezing and kneading my ass. "Come here."_

_I raise my head to look him in the eye. I can deny him nothing at this point; he has my whole heart...lock and key._

_In one swift movement, his hands latch underneath my arms and drag me up his body, as if I'm nothing but a ragdoll._

_I squeal from the sudden movement and also at the way my legs instantly part, his massive erection nestled in between._

_Our faces are inches apart, and his tongue slips out and traces my bottom lip. His hips start thrusting at the same time he pulls my lower body into him._

"_Mmmm, how do you get so wet so fast?" He's looking at me like he's waiting for a response. I simply bite down on my bottom lip and lower my eyes, clearly embarrassed. "Fuck, Brown Eyes, do you have any idea how crazy that makes me?" He lifts me by the hips, grabs his cock and pumps twice before he sinks deeply into me._

_Brief moments of soreness reintroduce themselves as he bounces me up and down slowly. It's a pain I'd welcome over and over if it means I can stay connected to him like this._

_His movements are slower and more pronounced than the first time. My eyes are on his and his on mine. I can feel my eyebrows knit together every time he thrusts upward; hitting a spot inside of me that I never knew existed. The expression on his face never falters. It stays in this semi-dazzling, confident state as if he knows how good he's making me feel._

_I'm getting closer to the full-body explosion that I'd experienced earlier. He can sense it, because a small smile creeps across his lips, and he sits up, wrapping his arms around me completely and thrusts harder. I'm panting uncontrollably. My breaths are coming out in embarrassing huffs and gasps_. _Jesus! This man must be from planet orgasm. He knows exactly when to speed up, when to slow down and when to rotate his hips...he knows just how to...fuck._

"_Don't stop!" I say, gasping for breath. My head is buried in the crook of his neck as he pumps in and out of me._

"_Never." He whispers._

_I can no longer give as well as I'm receiving. He's completely taken over my body with his rhythm. My arms lock around his neck, and I simply enjoy the ride. _

"_Oh shit," I whisper. "I'm coming."_

"_Mmmm. Me too." He grunts._

_My pants turn into short intakes of breath, accompanied by low shrieks. He grabs my hips tightly and gives one last hard thrust that jerks my body up, and I feel him pulse inside of me._

"_Ughhh!" He groans, when I bite down gently on his shoulder, as I come with him._

_His body shakes, as he chuckles lightly._

"_Did you really just bite me?"_

_I'm too out of it to form words, so I resort to shaking my head._

"_Liar!" He says, leaning back and placing a kiss on my lips._

_"Did I hurt you?" I ask, when my voice returns._

"_No, and even if you had, I  
would've loved every second of it." He says, ducking his head and taking a sensitive nipple into his mouth, sucking softly._

"_Unnggg!" I moan sharply._

"_Mmmm!" He's enjoying the responses he's getting from my out of control body._

"_You have to stop that!" I say, pulling back watching my breast pop from his lips._

"_Why?" he asks, going for my nipple again. This time I shake my head and dodge his lips successfully, untangling my legs from around his waist. I push him back against the mattress and crawl off the bed._

"_I need a shower," I say, stealing the sheet and draping my naked form. He props himself up with one arm folded behind his head and studies me with a humorous look._

"_Shy now, are we?" He says, sitting up and snatching the sheet from my body. "Now the shower is yours, Brown Eyes."_

_I don't feel quite that nervous being completely undressed in front of him, since the room is only lit by the moonlight that's streaming through the sheer curtains._

"_Do you ever quit?" My hands are planted firmly on my hips._

"_I think you asked me that once before and the answer hasn't changed…no." He says, propping up one of his legs as well, so I can get a full view._

_My eyes zero in on his manhood, and it twitches almost instantly. I know right then and there, that I have to get to that shower before round three gets started._

_I drag my eyes hesitantly back up to his, and he's wearing a full-blown, ear-to-ear grin._

_I reach down to gather my underwear that's scattered aimlessly on the floor and sprint to the bathroom._

**End of flashback**

I smile to myself thinking about last night, and how everything started off so crazily and ended up so perfectly. Cautiously, I slip from underneath him, not wanting to wake him. He rolls his body to assist me easily. I'm unsuccessful, and his eyes drift open.

"Where are you going?" he rasps.

"I have to make a call." I say, running my hand through his hair one last time as I turn to retrieve my phone from his dresser.

His hand shoots out to encircle my wrist, and he tugs gently.

"You're staying, remember?"

"I know. I just need to check on Sadie and let my dad and Angela know I won't be home tonight so they don't worry." His hand loosens, and he turns over getting comfortable.

I walk across the room and pick up the phone. There's a text from Angela:

_**Bella, where the hell are you? You said you were taking Sadie for a walk and would meet me when I got off from work. Ange.**_

"Shit," I whisper and dial. She picks up on the first ring.

"Bella, are you okay?" she sounds relieved to hear my voice.

"Hey Ange, I'm okay. I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't worry about it. What happened?"

I think about explaining my crazy night to her, but she'd never stop squealing and asking questions, so I decide to put it on the backburner until I get home. This story definitely deserves the proper girl's night, complete with ice cream, popcorn and possibly alcohol.

"It's a long story." I say, dragging out the word long. "I'm at Edward's."

"What!"

_Here we go._

"You're where?"

"You heard me. I can't go into details right now, but we'll talk later. How's Sadie?"

"She's fine, hyper as usual, but fine."

"Okay. What about Charlie?"

"I told him you were on a date. He's working late. He bought me a sandwich from Subway and said, "Well I'm off', and that was it. One question, Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"How big is his dick?" she squeals.

"Oh my God! Bye, Angela." I say, ending the call with her laughing hysterically in my ear.

"So how big is my um…dick?" He mumbles into my neck, while sucking the skin into his mouth. I yelp and try to spin around, but his arms encircle me from behind, trapping my back against his chest. _Oh my God! He heard that._

"Um w-what?" I stutter, feeling my cheeks flame.

"How big is it?" he repeats, this time snickering.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's impolite to eavesdrop?"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's impolite to speak about the size of a man's dick, while he's still in the room?"

My body tenses, and he stops sucking on my neck.

"Bella, I'm sorry…. Fuck I'm…."

"It's okay." I say sadly.

"No it's not." He says, spinning me around to face him.

My head is lowered, and he tilts it up by placing both of his hands on either side of my face.

"I'm an asshole sometimes…most of the time. I didn't mean to hurt you. It just slipped out in the conversation. I'm sorry."

"I know." I say, in a low voice. "You didn't hurt me. I just miss her," I say, shaking my head trying to get rid of the tears that are threatening to fall.

"I wish she was still here for you." He says with sincerity, before he kisses my forehead. My hands reach up under his arms and lock around his shoulders. His body melts into to mine, and I sigh, getting lost in the feeling of him.

"Come back to bed." He says, as he rocks us both gently from side to side.

"Okay." He leans away from me, taking my hand in his to lead me back to bed.

.

.

.

I can't sleep. I just keep staring at Edward and his perfect lips while he sleeps. Our bodies are facing each other, our noses inches apart. I reach up with my index finger and trace the bridge of his nose. He wiggles it like a bunny and I smile. He scoots closer to me, and he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling our bodies flush together. He rests his forehead against mine, our noses now touching. I mouth 'I love you', before my eyes slowly close. This time, I won't ruin the night by letting him hear the words my heart aches so desperately for him to know.

.

.

.

"I have to work, Edward. Some of us aren't as successful as you are …yet! I can't miss work. And no, you cannot buy out my salary for the summer."

He rolls his eyes and changes the conversation.

"So, do you think you can handle this?" He asks, referring to one of his prized possessions.

"If you don't trust me with it, then you could always drive me yourself." I say, dangling the keys in front of his face.

"Get in, Bella." He rolls his eyes and opens the driver's door. I oblige and duck to sit down, swinging my legs in lastly.

"You look sexy behind the wheel."

"And you look sexy in those." I say, gesturing toward his jeans with the hole in the knee. These are the very jeans I remember him wearing the second time I saw him. Only, he looks better this time around, since he's now shirtless with tousled bed hair.

"You like these?" he asks, stepping behind the door. He takes my hand and lightly brushes my hand down the front of his jean-clad erection.

"Stop it!" I say, with a humorous whine. "Or I'll never get to work."

"I won't tell, if you won't," he says, thrusting his cock into the palm of my hand.

"Bye, Edward." I say, as I reluctantly pull my hand away.

"You're no fun." He bends down, kissing me on my cheek. "Take care of my baby," he says before running a hand through his hair and walking back inside.

.

.

.

I've never driven anything like this before in my entire three years as a driver. It's definitely different than being driven around by Edward. Starting the engine nearly made me cum all over his precious, immaculate, climate controlled leather seats. I knew that him practically begging me to take his car this morning was a ploy to get me back to his house tonight, rather than a solution to his 'I'm way too spent to drive you to work", as he put it, rationale.

Since we have the same shift today, I stop off at my house to pick Angela up for work. Besides, she wouldn't have believed me if I told her about the car anyway.

I park the car in front of the house and race around to the yard for a round of tug-of-war with Sadie. Once she's satisfied she's won, I feed her and refresh her water bowl. Angela's already in the kitchen with a smug look on her face when I walk through the door.

"Well, well, well! Look at what the cat dragged in. Are you even going to make it to work this morning, Miss Swan?"

"Of course I am." I say with a scoff.

"In yesterday's clothes?" Her sarcasm continues.

"I'm going to change right now. I'll be back in five."

"Should I wait? I see the Jag parked outside waiting for you. I assume I will be taking the bus?" She finishes with a huge grin.

"I would never permit that Ange. You can drive the truck anytime you want," I say, breezing past her. "Besides, we're taking the Jag to work, and when I say we, I mean you and me." Her eyes pop open and her mouth gapes.

"What…no way." She whispers. "Are you serious?"

"Yup." I say, popping the 'p' and giggle, running up the stairs. "Be back in five." I yell over the banister.

.

.

.

"Jesus Christ Bella! What did you do to him to make him hand over the keys to this?" She yells over the engine, music and the highway noise you can hear with the top down. We zoom down the road. "You must have worked him over good."

"No…I don't know…this was just a way to assure him I would see him after work."

"Well, if he wants to see you again after last night's…" she clears her throat, "events and gives you his Jag to make sure that you…come…"

She looks at me and laughter rips from both of us.

"I'm sure he doesn't just give his car to any random female, Bella."

"I don't know." I pause for a moment, trying to sort my thoughts. "Have you ever had a dream Ange…the good kind you never want to wake up from?"

"Yeah. All the time."

'Well that's what this feels like, it's not a dream and I'm just waiting for something or someone to come and snatch everything away."

We pull into Starbucks' parking lot with time to spare, courtesy of the Jaguar Xkr.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Bella. I know he scares you…"

"To death, Ange, to death." I interrupt.

"I know, but would you rather not feel the way you're feeling right now? It's been so long since you've been with someone who's made you happy. I say hold on to it and ride it for all it's worth."

A smile spreads across my lips and she squeals.

"You're kidding me!"

I feel like a teenager gossiping about my first sexual experience.

"Oh my God! I've got to call Rose for this." She whips out her phone and actually starts dialing.

"No! You can't tell her. She'll freak. You know how she gets when she thinks she's the last person to hear something, especially something like this." I say, snatching her phone.

"Bella, you have to tell her!"

"And I will. As soon as we get back home."

"She's going to kill you!" She sings, exiting car.

"Believe me. I know." I say, exiting as well and pressing the lock on the alarm remote.

.

.

.

I'm the brunt of all Angela's sexually laced jokes at work today. In between breaks and trips to the storage room, there are more 'Oh my God's! and 'no ways!',along with squealing and 'you're fucking kidding me's.'

Jessica is trying her damnedest to find out what all the whispering and giggling is about. It's obvious that she's getting anxious, and finally, she flat out asks.

"So, what's the big secret?" she's clearly annoyed.

"Oh, nothing." Angela answers sweetly and saunters back to the front of the store. I simply look at Jessica and shrug, feigning ignorance. She storms through the door with me following, snickering behind her back.

We carry on working and decide that silence is the better way to go until we get off work. Angela nudges my shoulder…hard.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

I pause when I catch a glimpse of Edward, and who I assume to be James, walk through the door. My eyes widen and I notice Jessica's do as well.

_Oh no bitch! Copperhead is mine._

"Hey beautiful!" He leans his elbows on the counter, while James still in sunglasses, barks orders to someone on his cell phone.

"What are you doing here? I can't talk with you right now, I'm working."

He frowns, looking offended.

"Who says I'm here to see you?" he scoffs. "Excuse me Miss, I'd like an Iced Coffee and…James, what do you want?" he says, hitting James on the shoulder with the back of his hand.

"Coke." He answers covering the mouthpiece of his phone briefly before resuming the conversation.

Jessica completes their orders, looking thoroughly star struck.

He pries the drinks from her hands slowly, smiling brightly.

_Bastard!_

He's baiting me, and I'm eating it up.

"Thanks, Brown Eyes," he says looking at Jessica then glances over at me with a wink and walks out the door, leaving me steaming.

_That son of a bitch! He called her Brown Eyes._

I quickly walk to the back, whip out my phone and send a text.

_**What the hell was that? B**_

I hit send and pace impatiently, waiting for a response. He replies almost instantaneously.

_**Payback, baby. E**_

_**For? B**_.

"_**Lover boy last night"**_

I read out loud, confused. _Shit! He's talking about _Jake. I type furiously and hit the send button a little too hard.

_**You're kidding me, right? After last night? B**_

I wait and no return message arrives. Just as I'm getting more pissed and ready to tell him to go fuck himself my phone buzzes.

_**You know you're the only one I want. Especially, after last night. E**_

I can't stop the fluttering in my chest and the grin that pulls at the corners of my mouth.

_**Promise? B**_

_**Promise. E**_

I slip my phone in my back pocket and go back out front, feeling calmer.

My back pocket buzzes and I grab my phone and giggle loudly at the text, making everyone's head jerk around to look at me.

_**You already know what feisty Bella does to me, but jealous Bella has the ability to make my dick hard through text messaging…. Later. E.**_

"So. who is that guy he's with?" Angela asks, curiously.

"Cute right? I can't be sure, but I think it's his brother, James."

"Hmmm." She hums, but doesn't elaborate.

.

.

.

I drop Angela off and tell her I'll be back early for our girls' night. No matter what kinds of tricks Edward pulls, I'm not going to ditch her again. I owe her this night and I'm not about to become the type of person who would abandon a friend, even if there is a sexy, well-endowed man on the other side of the city, trying to persuade me differently.

.

.

.

After a long conversation trying to convince Edward that I would not as he put it, "_straddle me and let me fuck you senseless, _while in his car, he finally manages to convince me to spend the weekend with him. I'm not completely opposed to letting him have his way with me in his car, but what if Charlie pulls up. I'd be mortified and Edward…will probably be left with more holes than Swiss cheese.

We kiss a few more times before saying goodnight and promising to call each other later.

I practically skip through the door, noticing Angela has chick flicks and an abundance of snacks spread out on the coffee table. I'm looking forward to spending this time with her. She's yet to bring up the situation between her and Mike, but I hope she'll finally open up about it. I know she's using my newly found happiness as an escape. It's fine, but she needs to heal; and facing what happened is the only way she can start that process.

"Clueless?" I ask…clueless.

"What?" She whines. "I love Clueless."

"I know!" I reply dryly. "Couldn't you have gotten The Lover or The Reader or even Unfaithful?" I ask, tossing the DVD at her as I scarf down a handful of popcorn.

"Perv!" she screeches. "Tell me, Bella what is it with you and your obsession with older men or women having crazy sex with younger men or women?"

"Angela," I say with a sigh, "although The Lover and The Reader are controversial, the love stories are both sweet, and I don't think I need to explain why Unfaithful is good."

"Like I said….perv. So tell me, how did Edward like pervy Bella?"

"Shut up!" I say, hurling a handful of popcorn at her. "I wasn't a perv, but it was intense, I'll admit that."

"Mike used to be intense." She adds, with a faraway look in her eyes.

"You're better off without him you know."

"I know, but the part I don't get, is even if he had to cheat, did he have to do it in our home, in our bed–where I was sure to catch him? It just proves that he didn't give a shit about me or our relationship."

"What are you going to do?" I mean about the apartment. Ange, you know you can stay with me. My place is small, but we'll work something out."

"Yeah, I might have to take you up on that offer. I thought about kicking him out, but I can't afford the rent on my own."

"Then it's settled, you'll move in with me."

"What about Mr. Sexy Ass? Aren't you guys going to be shacking up a lot? I don't want to intrude."

"Please," I roll my eyes, "this is still all new, and I don't think Edward would adapt to my place if you know what I mean. The man owns a yacht, a beach house and Lord knows what other expensive, extravagant thing. He probably has his very own island."

"Hmmmmm. Isle Edward…what's his last name?"

"Cullen." I say, with a mouth full of popcorn.

"Cullen? That sounds familiar." She says, shaking her head. "Anyway, Isle Edward Cullen…nah can't picture it."

"You're a nut. So, no second chance for Mike?" I say hesitantly, waiting for the onslaught, but it never comes.

"Nope, cheating is the deal breaker for me, Bella. You have no idea what it's like to walk in on your man fucking someone else. I can't get asses, tits and moans out of my head. I won't forgive him. It's over!" She finishes angrily.

"I'm sorry." I say in a low voice and reach out to put my arms around her. "He's an idiot, Ange. He doesn't deserve you."

She lays her head on my shoulder and weeps silently.

"True. I'm a fucking catch." She says through soft weeps. "Maybe that James is more deserving?"

My eyes widen and dart back and forth. "Uh…I'm not sure Ange," I say, reluctantly thinking back to Edward's colorful description of his brother.

"He looks like fun," she adds.

"Fun yes, boyfriend material…I don't think so."

"Who said anything about boyfriend? I just want to fuck him!"

"Angela!"

At that moment Charlie pokes his head into the living room.

"Everything okay?" he asks, with an arched eyebrow.

"Hey Dad, yeah we're okay."

"Hey Chief Swan." Angela says with a sniff.

"Hey Ange. Okay, I'm going to shower and watch the game. I bought sandwiches. They're in the fridge."

"Okay thanks, Dad."

"Oh, and I didn't hear a thing. I swear it." He says, holding his hands up in front of him. I can tell by the smirk on his face that he has.

"He heard us didn't he?"

"Yup…sure did." I confirm and we both erupt into a fit of non-stop giggles.

"So Clueless?" She asks, wiping her tears.

"As if…I guess." I say, in my best Alicia Silverstone voice.

* * *

It's Friday and I'm packing my things for my weekend with Edward. Ange helps to make sure I have everything I need and some things I'm sure won't.

I feel bad about leaving her for the whole weekend. Charlie will be gone as well. It's his fishing weekend.

"Bella, either you go or I will. Don't worry about me. We'll be joined at the hip once we move in together, and then we'll get sick of each other."

I hear his horn beep once, and she drags me, along with my overnight bag toward the front door.

"Angela."

"Go and don't worry about Sadie. You know I'll take care of her."

I pull her into a huge bear hug and squeeze for dear life, thanking her for being the greatest friend a girl could have.

"I love you. I'll call you later," I say, walking out of the door closing it behind me.

Edward steps out of the car, donned in dark blue Jeans and a grey short sleeved V-neck shirt, with three buttons that are gloriously left undone. He takes my bag from my shoulder.

"Is this all you have?" he says, inspecting my miniature-sized luggage.

"It's only a weekend, Edward."

"You're right, and it's not like not like you'll need much clothing anyway." He tosses my bag in the trunk.

"Who says I'll be naked?"

"Who says you won't be?" he retorts quickly, opening the door for me.

"You say that like you can control what I want, or what I will do."

"Okay Brown Eyes, let's make a bet," he says, pulling out onto the road.

"Bet what?"

"Let's bet that I can have you naked in twenty minutes or less."

I'm not making that bet because the truth is; he could have me naked in five seconds or less. I'm sure to lose.

"That doesn't sound like a fair bet. You'll just seduce me out of my clothing."

"Seduce? Me?" He says in mock astonishment. "Are you trying to say that I use my looks and my body to make women vulnerable and have them take off their clothes for me?"

"Yes, and a few other tricks, but who's keeping track?" He turns his head promptly so I can see the faux shock on his face. "Keep your eyes on the road," I say, totally ignoring him. "Maybe we should make it a fair bet by playing a game."

"Okay, what game?"

"You'll see once we get to the house," I say, as he steps on the accelerator, obviously anxious to get this bet underway.

.

.

.

"Uno, Bella….seriously? You're fucking kidding me, right." He's holding the deck of brightly colored cards in his hand.

"Something wrong….are you too uppity to play Uno, Edward?"

He blinks at me and pulls me to the bed. He folds his legs Indian-style and urges me to do the same.

"When I win, you strip. Best three out of five." He says, shuffling the cards with precision.

_Oh shit!_

"And if I win you…"

"You won't. Notice, I said _when_ I win," he interrupts, dealing us seven cards a-piece.

"Also, the loser, which will be you, will have to perform one act the winner, which will be me, wants. Agreed?"

I'm not comfortable with the rules, but he's such a smug bastard, that I would give anything to have him naked and at my mercy.

"Fine, agreed." I snatch up my cards.

"Hey, we can simply skip all this and get naked without the games."

"Play!"

"Skip, back to me. Reverse, back to me." He says with a devilish chuckle and a wink at me. "Draw four and I'd like the color to be…blue."

Before it's all over, I have about fifteen cards and not one chance to get rid of any of them. Then he yells "Uno", which is irrelevant because I don't get a chance to stop that either. The next two games go the same way. I'm left gaping at him in disbelief.

"Oh yeah baby, I win." He holds up his arms in victory. "Now you…. strip!" he says, leaning forward and kissing me chastely on the lips. Of course he won. I can't believe I actually thought I could beat him.

"Let's go!" He claps his hands. "Oh, wait! I'm going to need a drink for this. You want something?" he yells over his shoulder, disappearing out onto the balcony and returning in a nano-second with a beer in hand. He bounces onto the bed like a little five-year old boy, spilling some of the contents from the bottle. Then he swipes the cards onto the floor.

"Stop stalling and get naked! I have big plans for you, baby."

"What plans?" I ask, suddenly more afraid than I was when we started this stupid bet.

"You'll see."

"You're really going to make me do this?" I give him my best puppy dog eyes, assisted by a pout.

"You bet your soft, sexy ass I'm going to make you do this. In fact, throw in that little pout after you're naked. I like it. Now strip!"

He turns the beer bottle up to his lips, never breaking eye contact. I sigh and start to pull my shirt over my head.

"Slower!" He reclines back against the headboard.

I do as he instructs and pull my shirt slowly over my head. Next to go are my shorts; I unbutton them and gradually drag them down my legs.

"Look at me."

My eyes shift to his and a sudden wave of confidence sweeps over me. My inner temptress emerges ready to play. I bite my bottom lip and show him I have a smirk of my own, worthy of attention. His signature smirk copies mine as realization sets in at what I'm doing.

Running a hand slowly up my abdomen and over my breasts, I unhook my bra in the front with my thumb and index finger. I slide the bra off effortlessly, down my shoulders, past my arms and drop it to the floor. His eyes change slightly at the sight of my bare breasts and he scoots down to the edge of the bed in anticipation. I bring my foot up to rest on the bed in between his crotch, delicately brushing his protruding erection. He gasps and raises a warning eyebrow at me as he starts to rise

"Stay!" I say, pushing him back down with my foot.

"Come." He counters.

"Patience." I give right back to him.

"Don't know the meaning of the word," he retorts huskily and grips the back of both my thighs and roughly yanks me down on top of his lap.

"I thought you wanted me to strip?"

"And you will, but the whole teasing thing…let's just say my dick can't take much more of it," he says grinding his bulge into my center, setting a maddening pace. I can feel myself getting slicker with every rotation of his hips.

"Who's teasing now?" I ask breathlessly.

"Not me." Wrapping both my legs securely around his waist, he stands and walks with his eyes focused intently on mine.

"Where are you taking us?"

"Out onto the balcony. I want to hear your voice echo out in the night as you scream my name, while I'm impaling you on my cock over and over."

I squeal when he ducks his head to nip at my nipples.

"Edward!" I whine, "People will hear us."

"I don't give a fuck. I plan on them hearing us."

I grab both sides of his face and stare into his gorgeous, green eyes.

"I want you so much," I whisper.

"Show me."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

_**Thanx for reading and please review.**_


	12. Chapter 12, Not So Simple (E Version)

**Chapter 12: Chapter 12, Not So Simple (E Version)**

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I don't watch as she drives away in my pride and joy. I can't stand it, so I just turn and walk away. I hear the tires screech some distance away and I wince, my heart sinking. _You idiot Cullen! What are you thinking, giving her the _J_ag?_ I huff out the breath I'm holding and walk back to the house.

I dive onto the couch completely exhausted, staring at the glass we were pressed against last night and smile.

I flip over and massage my cock through my pants thinking about how last night became aggressively out of control.

**_Flashback_**

"_Go to hell Edward!"_

_She's pissed off and it's the most erotic thing I've ever witnessed. Of course I piss women off on a daily basis, but none of them compare to the way she looks when she's angry. She's beautiful, with her hair all wild and eyes blazing as she glares at me, her chest heaving up and down with every harsh breath she takes._

_Every foul word she spits makes my cock grow. When she slaps me I can no longer contain the beast inside._

_I back her into a corner like a scared little rabbit. I'm not going to hurt her. She was with him and that was not acceptable. I've waited too long to be with her. I've never waited this long for a woman, and I won't wait any longer. This is happening tonight. I have to claim her body before he has a chance to even plan it. _

_She tells me she wants to stay, that she wants me to make love to her. I can be a gentle lover, but her scent has me way past the point of anything gentle._

_When I kiss her it starts off slowly and quickly escalates. She pulls away from me, staring into my eyes as I reach out and trail my index finger from her neck down to her cleavage._

"_Don't pull away from me, not now," I say pulling her back to me. "Don't be afraid of me." I trail my finger down to her navel, and her stomach contracts from the contact. "Don't be afraid of this." Once my hand reaches in between her legs, I'm certain she wants me. She doesn't bat an eyelash when I touch her. I stroke her lightly through her jeans and her eyes flutter closed. I want to feel her skin on mine so desperately, so I slide my hand down her pants and run my fingers over the dampness of her panties, then reluctantly retract my hand._

_I need to gain some control or else I'll end up having her right against the glass doors. I'm not opposed to having sex here, but I don't want to have James bursting in and interrupting. My hand sinks into her long brown waves, gripping her head securely, drawing her lips to mine. I walk her backwards until her body makes contact with the cool glass. I slide my tongue down the cup of her bra finding her erect nipple and tease it with tip of my tongue. She arches her back, pushing her breast closer to me as she slips her hands down to the front of my pants, trying to undo them; but I still her hands by raising them above her head and holding them against the glass._

"_I want you." She whispers._

"_Not here," I mumble into her breast. "Upstairs." I pull her with me toward the spiral staircase and hate the separation from her body. I pause at every wall, kissing her and grinding my cock into her. We reach the bedroom door, and I lift her, wrapping her legs around my waist. The warmth radiating from between her thighs drive me crazy with want. I have to be inside her. My cock, seemingly with a mind of its own, is demanding to be submerged in her. I toss her on the bed and watch her gently bounce twice. I undo my pants and hurriedly push them down my legs. She crawls over to me, wanting to take my boxers down, but I stop her. I can't have her hands anywhere near my cock at this moment._

"_Take those off!" I say a little more demandingly than I had intended._

_She removes her pants and stands before me in white lacy underwear._

"_Turn around!"_

_She complies as I unhook her bra, kissing her back and trailing my tongue all the way down. I grip her panties at the sides and pull them slowly down her legs. My hands palm her ass and massage it firmly. Nothing has ever felt so soft. I want to taste every inch of her naked skin. I lean in, kissing her cheeks softly, and I want do so much more. I want to lick and suck everywhere, but I don't want to send her screaming into the night, so I simply suck gently on the flesh. That act alone, elicits an arched back, a hitched breath and a low moan from her. Me being a man, I think 'fuck it!' and slide the tip of my tongue down her crack just to see what reaction I'd get._

_Her body tenses, but in a good way. I smile and rise to my feet, pulling my boxers down at the same time. My cock bobs forward and brushes against her ass, and I know she can feel the wetness that's seeped from it._

"_Relax," I say, moving to stand in the front of her. I draw her to me as I sit down on the bed. My eyes are level with her navel, and I kiss her there. She becomes unsteady on her feet, so I grasp the back of her thighs and have her straddle me, as I suck and lap at her tits; one after the other. She's spread so wide like this, and I imagine what it would feel like to fuck her this way._

"_Oh God!" she moans, making my cock twitch and more wetness leak out. I watch the trail it leaves across her stomach, and my cock twitches in response to the sight; I need to test her to see if she's ready. I reach down between her legs and drag my index finger through her wetness._

"_Fuck you're drenched already!" I say, shocked._

_She smiles shyly at me and leans in to kiss me. Kissing her will be the absolute death of me. I realized the first time that I laid eyes on her that her lips were my favorite part of her body, next to her eyes and her ass._

_She scoots her hips closer to mine, and her wetness makes contact with my cock, and I lose it._

"_Ahh fuck! Brown eyes. What are you trying to do to me?"_

_I flip her around, pinning her to the bed and reach for a condom. I instruct her to put it on me only because I find it sexy to watch women do that shit._

_I watch as her hands tremble, but she boldly does something I don't expect. She wraps her hand around my cock and strokes it. My hips coerce my dick to pump in and out of her hand slowly. My eyes shut tightly as I struggle to regain control. _

"_Bella, please!" My voice is desperate and I can't think._

_Finally, she rolls the condom down my length at a painfully slow pace. I brace myself up on my hands and look into her eyes for a signal that she's ready for me. _

"_Spread your legs!"_

_She obeys my request and her legs part, leaving me with a fantastic view of her neatly shaved pussy. I nearly come right there and then._

_I grab my cock and spread her wetness back and forth, up and down, coating my tip and thrust quickly into her. 'Holy fucking shit!'_

"_Oh!" She gasps from the intrusion. Hands grip my ass roughly, her nails digging and pinching the flesh. I feel so good. I love it when women grab my ass during sex; it just makes me fuck harder._

_I pump my cock into her so roughly; her hips lift off the bed each time I thrust upward. Her tits bounce up and down with every movement. I know I'm out of control, but I need to leave my mark so when her four legged friend decides to come sniffing around again, he'll know who she belongs to; and I'm not referring to her pet._

_I slam my cock into her recklessly as I stare into her eyes; she reaches her hand up to swipe the hair back off my forehead. I turn my head to kiss her wrist and look back into her eyes, and I melt like a teenage pussy-whipped punk._

"_Fuck! You feel so good. No one's ever felt like you," I say, as I watch my cock slide in and out of her. I know I shouldn't have said it, but I'm too far-gone to even care._

"_Ugh, Edward!" She groans and wraps her legs tightly around my waist, pulling me in deeper. I need to feel all of her. I want her tits pressed against me, her lips on mine._

_I lower my body and slip my tongue into her mouth. I turn my head slightly to get better access to her sweet taste. I groan into her mouth each time my cock hits a certain spot that sends electric shocks up my spine._

_I hesitantly pull away from her lips, completely winded. 'God if she feels this good like this, I wonder how she would feel if I were deeper?'_

_I dig both hands underneath her, slightly elevating her off the bed, gripping her ass firmly, as I spread her wider and get deeper. Her hands grasp the headboard in a death grip as I slide in and out in a circular motion. Her loud, sexy sounds drive me mad and soon, my deep, strangled moans are echoing hers._

_I'm close to coming, but I'm not ready to stop this feeling of euphoria, so I slow down my rhythm. That only lasts a minute as her hips grind against me, forcing my pace to quicken; and I pump fast and hard, drawing out deep moans from her._

_"Oh fuck…fuck!" I grunt, fighting to hold back from exploding into her. "Cum baby...I'm so close! Cum for me!" I mumble into her neck._

_"Oh God...Edward...Ahh! Ahhhhh!" she screams and her pussy grips my dick like a vice, and warm liquid saturates it from base to tip. I don't stop thrusting even though I feel myself growing inside of her. I need to feel that warmth again._

_Her hands shoot to my ass, trying to slow my thrusts but I'm having none of it._

_Her legs fall from my waist, and I reach behind me to hold them in place. _

_Her body starts to shake again as I rise up on one hand and reach down between where our bodies are joined. I rub her with my thumb to send her over the edge once again. The realization creeps over her face in a look of mixed confusion and arousal._

_Her eyes widen and her mouth parts slightly. I smirk at her, knowing that she's seconds away._

_"That's right cum again baby. Just let go." I rub her harder and more rapidly. I need her to come hard, so I dive in and suck her nipple, while my thumb keeps rubbing and my cock keeps thrusting._

_"Ahhhhhhhhh!" she screams again as her body lifts off the bed, arching into me._

_"Fuuuckkkkk!" My orgasm rips through my body as I hold her tightly to me._

**_End of flashback_**

I'm startled from my thoughts as James walks through the door, groaning. I turn to look at him as he tosses his keys towards the couch, hitting me on the chest. He's obviously not seen me sitting here.

"Ouch! Asshole. Can't you see I'm sitting here?" I toss his keys back at him. He doesn't attempt to catch them. He groans again, waving me off, and he heads up the stairs. "Rough night?" I asked humorously.

"You have no idea!" he yells over his shoulder. "What about yours?"

"Definitely worth the wait." I repeat, once again slouching into the cushions with a smirk.

* * *

**_~~W~~_**


	13. Chapter 13 The Bombshell

**Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Bombshell**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight_**

**_Please listen to Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy while reading this chapter, if you can. It really goes with the whole chapter._**

**_Chapter l3_**

My body is sprawled out across the bar on Edward's balcony. _How in the hell did I get like this? Oh yeah, UNO._

_The winner gets one act of his or her choice._ For some odd reason, I thought since he'd won, that I would be strapped to something or blindfolded. Imagine my surprise, when he lifts me by my waist onto the bar and tells me to lie back.

My feet are perched on the edge alongside my bottom, as I watch Edward's head in between my splayed out legs. I feel totally exposed, open for the entire world to see.

"Oh God! Oh…fu-…oh, oh, oh…Ahhhhh! "

I sound ridiculous but when his tongue enters me, there is no other way to sound. I grab fistfuls of his marvelous hair and twist and yank every time he flicks his tongue.

This man possesses my body…owns it. I'm madly in love with every part of him that enters me…fingers, tongue and penis.

I ride out my orgasm with my head hanging off the ledge and my eyes focused on the stars.

Kissing his way back up my body, he crawls up onto the bar, hovering over me.

"Can you walk?" he asks smugly with a smile.

"Barely." I answer with my arm thrown across my eyes. "You did this on purpose," I breathe out roughly.

"_Moi_?"

"Yes you!" I say, raising my head to look at him. "What are you doing? Is this thing sturdy enough for both of us?"

"You want to find out?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows.

"As much as I would like to indulge in all of your fantasies, that little act you just performed has left me famished," I say, letting my head dangle once again.

"Then I'll cook for you." He kisses my neck, making loud smooching noises.

He hops down off the bar and helps me up. My legs feel like goo, but it's welcomed.

He walks back into the bedroom and returns quickly with two fluffy black bathrobes.

"So, what'll it be, Brown Eyes?" he asks, wrapping me in one of the robes. Honestly, it feels like a mink coat, or what I think a mink coat would feel like.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"What do you want to eat?" he gently pulls my hair from the inside of the robe, letting it fall down my back.

"I don't know. Surprise me. I'm sure whatever you make will be great."

He grabs my hand, pulling me with him toward the staircase.

In that moment, it dawns on me that I was just outside having sex on a balcony; having oral sex on a bar, while screaming like a banshee. _Real classy, Bella!_

_._

_._

_._

"Mmmmmmm." I hum as I bite into the warm buttery sandwich he labeled as Croque-Monsieur. I've never tasted anything this good before. With every bite, there's a string of unbroken cheese connected from my lips to the sandwich.

"Oh….my goodness! How did you learn to make this?" I ask, covering my mouth filled with yummy goodness. He watches me as if he's fascinated at the sight of me eating.

"It's just grilled ham and cheese." He shrugs as if it's the simplest thing in the world.

"Just grilled ham and cheese! This is just…awesome!" I say, gesturing to the half-eaten sandwich in my hand. "You're an amazing cook, do you know that?"

"I learned a lot when I was in Paris," he says, reaching out to brush some of the crumbs from the corner of my mouth. "Have you ever been?" he asks in a serious voice.

I shake my head, a little embarrassed that I don't have any fabulous stories about vacationing in faraway places and experiencing restaurants that served things like Croque-Monsieur, to share with him.

"Would you like to go?" he says in a serious tone. I look up at him, and I see him looking back at me with a serious expression. My eyes widen as I choke on the rest of my sandwich.

"Excuse me?" I say, after regulating my breathing.

"Paris…do you want to go?" he repeats, biting into his sandwich nonchalantly.

I can't believe what I'm hearing. He's asking me to go to Paris. _Fucking Paris!_

My vacations only consist of visiting Charlie and maybe some Marlins games, but that's it. Here, he's asking me to go to Paris, and all I can do is stare with my mouth hanging wide open.

"You're asking me to go to Paris…with you?"

"Yeah." He says, removing our plates from the bed and placing them on the nightstand. "You have vacation time coming up, right?"

I nod.

"Okay, so that settles it. We'll go to Paris on your vacation." He concludes with a kiss to my forehead.

"Wait…I can't…I can't go to Paris!" I say, jumping up from the bed. He's up in front of me in two seconds.

"Why not?"

"Because…"

I'm feeling claustrophobic. I pace back and forth until he grabs me, forcing me to stop. I don't want to tell him why I can't go. I'm so embarrassed. I know I'm being ridiculous, but no one's ever asked me anything like this before. I simply can't accept his offer.

"Because what, Bella?"

"Because…I don't have…I can't afford to go to a place like that," I reply, my tone lowered, head bowed.

"Bella." He sighs and sits back on the bed, pulling me into his lap. "I want you to come to Paris with me. Don't worry about the money."

"It's expensive, Edward. I can't let you spend that kind of money on me." I shake my head.

"You're not letting me do anything. I'm doing what I want to do."

"But.."

I try to interrupt, but he keeps talking, telling me all the reasons why I should go with him.

"You say you've never been anywhere like that before. Allow me to be the first to show it to you. We'll stay at the most romantic hotel and eat tons of Croques-Monsieur," he says, while kissing my neck.

I want to say yes. I want so badly to be with him. I just don't want him to think I want him for his money. Truth is, I'd be just as happy if he'd asked to spend part of my vacation with him here in this room, but Paris…Paris would be the ultimate cherry.

"We would drink the best champagne, by moonlight." He kisses me. "Make love all night, anywhere you want, any way you want." His hands encircle my waist, slowly untying the belt on my robe. Goosebumps erupt all over my skin. He stands, bringing me with him, slipping the robe from my shoulders and lets it fall to the floor; followed quickly by his.

"Say yes," he whispers, while pulling me on top of him as he lies back down on the bed. I'm straddling his lap, while I stare at him looking for any signs that this is some sort of joke, or possibly a dream I'd unfortunately wake up from; but he doesn't laugh and I know I'm not asleep.

"I want to," I whisper back. His hand comes up to my face to brush away a tear that I hadn't even realized had fallen.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" There's a small frown on his face.

"Because, you're too good to be true. No one's ever asked me to go to Paris…no one's ever asked me to go anywhere, actually," I say with a sniff.

"Does that mean you're accepting?"

I nod.

"Yes…I'll go to Paris with you."

A victorious smile spreads across his lips, and I lean down to kiss him, doing a victory dance of my own…on the inside of course.

.

.

.

"Tell me more about your mom," he says, brushing my hair out of my face.

We've ended up walking down to the beach that's located in close proximity to his house.

"She was very pretty and open minded. She was a phenomenal cook, but you could've given her a run for her money." I nudge his shoulder with mine. "She would've been crazy about you. I've never known a person more honest and free than my mom. Even when she was sick, she always took care of everyone."

"I bet you look like her." He trails his finger down my cheek. "She had the same eyes as you, didn't she?"

"I guess," I answer shyly with a small smile. "She loved animals. That part I know I got from her."

"Oh right, the future veterinarian dog lover."

"What do you have against animals?"

"Nothing, I've just never had a pet before." He stretches out on the blanket we brought, his arms behind his head.

"Ever?"

"Nope." I can just imagine Esme's horrified face if we'd brought an animal of any sort into the house. He snorts. "CC would've had to have her committed." His eyes lift to look at the sky. "I wish I could have met her."

"My mom?"

"If she was anything like you, I can definitely see why she meant so much to you."

It sounds as if he's focusing on some memory from his childhood. He doesn't look at me when he speaks about his parents. There's always some faraway look in his eyes whenever the conversation comes up.

"I'm sure your mom is amazing too," I say, drawing my legs up to my chest and resting my head on my knees. "I mean look at you. You're successful and gorgeous. You can be cocky at times…"

"Extremely _cocky." _He interrupts dragging out the word. I ignore him and the double entendre and continue.

"I usually equate it with being confident. Also, you're funny and passionate."

"I'm intense too." He rises back up, tangling his fingers in my hair.

"You _are _very intense, as well as awesome in bed." I hadn't intended on confessing that to him, but I have a feeling he already knows it. "Seriously, you're like no one I've ever met before. I know your parents are really proud of you."

He sighs and looks out towards the ocean. "You don't know anything."

"Why wouldn't they be? You're their son. You're amazing, Edward!"

I can sense he's becoming agitated. The last thing I want to do is upset him by prying into his family business. Tonight has gone so perfectly, the whole day really. He was so playful when he was literally beating the pants off of me during UNO. Then the dinner he made me was beyond fabulous and if that wasn't enough, he blew my mind by asking me to go to Paris with him. Throw in the balcony sex, and this night is hands down the best of my life. I want him to know exactly how he makes me feel, and what he means to me.

"I'm not, Bella. That's what I'm trying to tell you."

He starts to rise to his feet to walk away, but I grab his wrist, pulling him back down to kneel in front of me.

"What do you mean, you're not? Edward...you're everything."

The look in his eyes tells me he doesn't believe it. I know he can be a hard pill to swallow but it's a part of his charm, and I wouldn't change it for anything. There's something I want to do at this moment. I'm sure. I want to let him know just how deep my feelings for him have grown to be. He's the one.

I reach behind my neck and unclasp my necklace with the heart pendant attached. He watches me curiously as I inhale deeply; looking at the last beautiful thing my mother ever gave me. She told me once I found the man I wanted to give my heart to, that I should present him with it. I've found him.

"I know you're a guy …this may seem awkward, but another thing about my mom was that she was wise and always told me to follow my heart."

I take his hand, open it and place the heart in the center, then close it.

"I don't…I don't understand, Bella."

"My mom gave it to me. I have the other half which was hers tucked away for safe keeping," I say with a chuckle. He blinks at me; hand still in the same position. He's obviously still confused.

"She said it was for me to keep, until I found that special person I wanted to share my heart with…my life. That person is you, Edward; I love you."

I'm not running this time. The words are out, and I have no intentions of second-guessing myself or taking them back. I love him with my whole heart.

"Bella…Bella, I can't take this. Your mother gave it to you. I can't."

"I know it's girly, but you don't have to wear it or anything. I just want you to have it. I want you to know how much you mean to me. Didn't you hear what I said? I love you."

"You can't love me," he says in a whisper. "I don't deserve you. God, Brown Eyes you deserve so much more." He opens his hand and stares at the necklace.

"You don't want me?" My voice sounds shaky, like it it's thirty below outside. His eyes shoot to mine.

"I've never wanted a woman more."

I rise to my knees and crawl closer to him, taking his hand and placing it over my heart. The necklace dangles in-between our hands. He looks like he's going to protest, so I place my fingers over his lips to silence him.

"Take my heart. It already belongs to you."

I swear I see tears welling up in his eyes. He kisses my fingers that cover his lips one at a time and moves to stand. I'm still on my knees in front of him, looking up into his eyes. He holds his hand for me and I take it, rising to my feet. His arms encircle my waist and pull me closer to his body.

"God, where were you a year ago?" He breathes, connecting our foreheads together.

"I was waiting for you to come and sweep me off my feet," I laugh. "I'm here now." All traces of laughter gone, he leans back and uses both hands to smooth my hair back, my necklace still laced through his fingers.

"That you are, Brown Eyes." He smiles brightly at me.

"Brown eyes." I repeat softly.

"It kind of stuck, I guess. That's how I referred to you the first time I met you."

"You called _her_ Brown Eyes too."

I think back to that day in the coffee shop when he gave my nickname to Jessica. It still bothers me.

"Are you talking about when I said it to that cashier?"

I nod, trying to avoid his eyes. I fail as he bends his knees so he can be face-to-face with me.

"You know I was saying that to make you jealous, don't you?"

I shrug my shoulders and bury my face in his heavenly smelling shirt.

"Bella?"

I shake my head; too ashamed to admit I'm acting like a child. "Bella, look at me." I finally give in and look at him. "It's _your _eyes that I'm crazy about, _your _eyes only and no one else's. You are _my _Brown Eyes," he says, pulling me into a tender kiss.

I'm his.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

_Beautiful_. That's all that comes to my mind as I watch her sleep. She wants me to have her heart; she says it belongs to me. Who am I to take something like that from her?

_Honest. _It's the very thing she is. She told me she loved me, and this time she didn't run away.

Her hair is draped across my arm, while my fingers roam aimlessly through her thick brown waves.

My eyes focus on the silver heart charm, which hasn't left my hand, even after we'd made love for the fourth time tonight. She says she wants to spend her life with me; how could I have let her say those words to me knowing that it would never be possible.

I look back to her celestial face. Using my index finger, I start at the arch of her eyebrow and trace every one of her delicate features. Her eyelashes flutter when my finger gently brushes past them. I want to remember every perfect little thing about her.

She should be happy. She should be with someone who can give her everything. Someone, who can commit to a life of loving her completely, honestly. She deserves nothing less.

I'm such a selfish bastard. I had to have her for myself, knowing what awaits me back home. My goal was to keep her from any man. Now I know it's time to break her heart.

I lean down and caress her lips ever so lightly.

"I'm sorry, Brown Eyes," I whisper against her lips.

I slip out of bed carefully, trying not to wake her. I look her over one final time, before getting in the shower and then going downstairs to make breakfast to serve her in bed. _It's confirmed...I'm whipped!_

I arrive in the kitchen to see my brother and sister eating fucking Froot Loops at the table. _When the fuck did she get here, and what does she want?_

"Look who decided to finally get out of bed? Seriously, Edward you need to set an alarm clock or you'll sleep your life away, and what kind of guy your age goes to bed before midnight, while he's on vacation, anyway?"

"I'd say the kind of guy who had bloodcurdling screams coming from his bedroom last night." James adds sarcastically. "Damn bro, what did you do to her?"

"Hold on a sec. Take a breath." I hold up my hand to silence both of them. "What the hell are you doing here…in my kitchen?"

"This is my kitchen too," James answers, slurping milk off the spoon.

"Not you shithead…her!"

"I missed you too, brother." She answers sweetly.

"What's going on? Why are you here, Alice? Did someone die?"

She glares at me and goes back to eating. There are only two possible reasons Alice would fly out here. Either someone has died, or she's coming to report some family drama. One would think she'd use the phone, but this is Alice we're talking about.

"What skank do you have upstairs? You are aware that you're getting married in a month, aren't you?"

I wince at her words and walk around the table, grabbing the cereal box, digging out a handful.

"Yes! I am aware and lower your voice. You still didn't answer my question."

"Well, Jazz and I are here vacationing as well," she answers nonchalantly.

I pause with my hand in mid air, getting ready to throw a fuck load of Froot Loops in my mouth, until I hear those words.

"Excuse me, what did you say? Did you say Jazz is here?"

"Yeah, we got here last night."

"Jazz is here, Tanya's fucking brother is here!" I yell irately.

"Calm down, hot head! I came to warn you last night so you could finish banging the midnight special, before he sees her and rats you out."

"This is so not good, Smidgey," I say, pacing the kitchen floor, running my hand roughly through my hair.

"Hey, when did you start letting chicks spend the night anyway?" James adds, sliding off the chair to deposit his bowl in the sink. "You're usually a hit it and quit it kind of guy. Was she that good? Wanna share?" He arches an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

"Ew! I'm out of here. The two of you are disgusting. I'm mortified to call either of you my brother."

If looks could kill, James would be six feet under after that remark. He can be such a prick. I ignore him and turn my attention back to the disaster at hand.

"Where is Jazz, Smidge?" I ask, irritated. My eyes widen at a sudden thought. "He's not here is he?" my tone raised an octave higher.

"Okay, lose the attitude. He's at a hotel."

This is insane. My sister could have very well alerted me to the fact that she and her boyfriend were coming here. She gets off on seeing me squirm. It's a good thing Bella is still asleep, because this was not how I imagined her finding out about Tanya. I have to get both her and James out of here, pronto.

As if on cue, she walks shyly into the kitchen, and I nearly have a stroke.

"Hi. Um...Good…morning," she says with a quick wave.

"Well, well, well!" James spits and looks at me with a smug smile. I can tell by the way Alice's left eye is twitching, that the bitchiness is about to make an appearance. Thank God Bella's fully dressed.

"Who are you?" Alice snaps. All I can do is stare in shock. This is not going to end well.

"Oh, I'm sorry…I'm Bella." She says, offering her hand for Alice to shake. She looks at Bella's hand as if she has something gross on it, and turns up her nose. I begin to perspire. My sister can be as bad as my mother when she wants to, sometimes worse.

"Well I'm Alice, Edward's sister and we're having a family discussion."

I look over at James, who's biting back laughter. I'll wring his fucking neck later.

"Oh! You're Smidge! Edward has told me so much about you."

Alice frowns and looks over to me like I've lost my mind. She knows I'd never get so involved with someone to talk about nicknames.

"Did little Eddie here tell you about me?" James finally speaks up, but giggles are still threatening to break through.

"Um…if you're James, yes. I've heard a lot about you too. Don't worry, I told him you sounded like fun, not a prick," she whispers the last part and winks at him. _ She fucking winked at him!_

"Well I am fun, aren't I little brother?"

"I'll take prick for a thousand, Alex." I say sarcastically.

Alice keeps her attention on Bella. She's examining her from head to toe. The questions aren't nearly finished on her part. They're just getting started, and Bella will definitely be in the line of fire.

"So he's told you about us. What else do you know?" she asks Bella, but is looking at me. I know where she's going, but I'm not about to let it happen this way.

"Alice, you and I have some things to discuss. You can speak with Bella later."

I turn to Bella and ask if there's anything specific she wants to eat. She says she'll wait for me upstairs, and we can have breakfast together. Before she leaves the kitchen she tells James and Alice it was nice to have met them, and she makes her way back upstairs with a coffee in hand.

When I turn back around, Alice and James are both staring at me with their mouths agape. I walk over to the stove, preparing to make omelets for Bella and me. I can feel their eyes burning into my back. I won't give them the satisfaction of offering any information about what's going on between Bella and me. As if she can read my mind, Alice is the first to start.

"What the hell is going on here, Edward?"

"Can you be more specific, Smidge?" I say, placing a skillet on the burner.

"Don't you fucking _Smidge _me, Edward! What's going on with you and that girl?"

"Her name is Bella."

"So this is how you want to play it? Maybe I need to go upstairs and find out from Bella what's going on."

"Fuck, Alice what do you want from me?" I slam another skillet on top of the stove. "She's…." I turn back around, shaking my head slightly at my inability to describe what Bella is to me; hell _I _don't even know.

"Oh my God!" She gasps. "You're into her aren't you?"

"I'm not into anyone." I say, not looking at her. Opening the fridge, I grab the eggs, cheese, and cream.

"You've told her about us. You've let her spend the night. She's upstairs waiting for you to cook goddamn omelets, Edward! Now you fucking look at me and tell me that she's just a fuck!"

"I don't have to tell you anything! I'm so fucking sick of people trying to run my life. I get this shit from Mom and Dad; I don't need it from you too. I know what I'm doing, Alice."

"You do?" she asks with her eyebrows raised. "Well let me ask you this, Edward, does Bella know what you're doing? Better yet, how about Tanya? You do remember Tanya, don't you? Does Tanya know what you're doing _Edward_?"

"Alright, enough! It's none of your fucking business. I will handle my own situation with no help from you, thank you. Now if you're done, I have a fucking omelet to make."

"Will you talk some sense into his thick skull, James? He's obviously gone off the deep end."

She grabs her bag and turns to leave. I should've known better than to think that she'd just go without a final word. This is Alice, and she always has to have the last word.

"You know, I saw the way she looked at you. That girl is totally in love with you and you're going to hurt her. Why would you do that, Edward? You could have chosen any girl who wouldn't have cared to be used by you. You know you're getting married. I don't understand you at all."

Alice is also an expert at making me feel like a douche. I know I'm wrong, but I'm too far-gone to stop it.

"Smidge?" I stop her from walking out of the kitchen. " I care about her."

"No shit Sherlock. Why else would you be in here playing Betty fucking Crocker?" she says, ruffling my hair as she walks out.

James is way too quiet for my liking. He's basically sitting there, saying nothing. This isn't like him. I'm starting to panic.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"I have one word for you little brother...Leah." He slaps me on the back and follows in Alice's footsteps.

"Yeah well, she's not Leah!" I yell back at him, but he's already made it out of the door.

"What the fuck are you doing Cullen?" I berate myself out loud.

They're right, both of them. I don't want to hurt her, but it's too late. When will I tell her? The look in her eyes will crush me. _Her eyes, fuck! _Those beautiful, innocent, trusting eyes that believe in happiness and love. How can I take that away from her? I'm a douche.

* * *

Bella and I finish breakfast almost in complete silence. Every now and again she asks if everything is okay and I reply that everything's fine. We spend the day planning our trip to Paris. Her eyes light up when we look at pictures on my laptop; pictures of places we'll visit while we're there. She gets all excited, squealing with delight every time she asks if we'll be visiting a certain tourist spot, and I answer yes. I try offering her my credit card so she can buy anything she needs to take with her, but she declines and tells me if I keep trying to push it on her, she'll back out of the trip. I agree, but tell her that all bets are off once we get to Paris. There I'll spoil her rotten.

While sitting on my lap, she even goes so far as to whisper in my ear that she wants to have sex in a public place once we arrive there. I whisper back just how much I want it too, and we make love. My mind wanders as our sweaty bodies cling to one another tightly, and we explode together. Her name falls from my lips as I come, and she repeats 'I love you' over and over again.

Once we get back home from Paris it'll be finished, I'll never see her again. My chest aches at the thought. _I'll never see her again._ I'll marry Tanya and Bella will be a memory.

I lie to Bella about having to make a personal business call, and I go downstairs to clear my head and get a drink. I just can't be around her anymore. I can't breathe. This is affecting me more than I ever thought it would. Strangely, time seems to fly by. It's already near six in the evening when James enters the house for the second time today.

"Is this a private party or is anyone invited?" he asks, gesturing towards the glass of bourbon I'm drinking.

"Help yourself."

He pours a glass and takes a swig. "Where's Bella?"

"Upstairs." I answer dryly.

"She's gorgeous. Seems like a sweet kid."

"Don't patronize me James, she's a woman!" I snap. I'm not ready for round two of this shit, but I'll surely kick his ass if he starts it.

"Come on, Edward. Do you think I'm blind? I see what's going on…hell I lived it. You're falling for her." I shoot him a warning glare, but he doesn't acknowledge it or back down. "You're not stupid. You know how this is going to end. Look at what Mom and Dad did to me. You're kidding yourself if you think you can be with her."

That's it. I'm fed up with everyone and their thoughts about my life. Plus, I'm slightly buzzed so round two is well underway.

"What Mom and Dad did to you was nothing, compared to what they did to Leah." I no longer care about other people's feelings. If they want to impose themselves into my personal life, then they damned well better be ready for the repercussions.

I'm pissed off, and I'm not even angry with him or Alice. I'm mad at myself for what I'm about to do.

"What are you talking about?" he frowns in confusion.

"You say she was the love of your life, but you didn't fight for her. You just let her walk away."

"She didn't want to be with me, and what you're doing is ten times worse than anything I ever did to Leah. I loved her enough to let her go."

"Did you know that she's getting married?"

I know he doesn't, but I want him off my back and this will definitely ensure that he does. A vein throbs in his temple, a sure indicator that he's getting pissed off. She's his Achilles heel, and I know it.

'What?" he asks through clenched teeth.

"That's right, your precious Leah is getting married. I guess she and that new hubby of hers will have a happy life with all that money she inherited."

He looks at me, really confused now. I don't miss a beat. The more I drink, the more I spill my guts.

"What money? Leah doesn't have any money. She's as fucking poor as a church mouse."

And I go in for the kill.

"Well, she was, but then she made a shit load of money off you big brother. She cleaned up. Now she and her fiancé will skip happily into the sunset, courtesy of you."

"What the fuck are you talking about, Edward? You know what? I don't even want to know. You're drunk and obviously upset about this whole Bella thing. I just came back to get my phone." he says, walking over to the coffee table. "I'm out of here."

"Why don't you ask Mom and Dad what I'm talking about? I'm sure it will be an enlightening conversation."

That's enough to spark his interest. The shit's about to hit the fan and it's entirely my fault. I have no idea what I'm doing anymore. It's too late to stop any of this. I'll break Bella's heart, and if that isn't enough, James' heart is about to be broken as well, for a second time.

I watch him drive away and sit on the window ledge trying to drink myself into a stupor. No amount of alcohol seems to work, though. I can't get drunk enough. My mind shifts back to Bella. I keep hearing her voice echoing in my head.

_Take my heart; I love you._

I pour another drink and toss it almost violently down my throat.

_You're everything, Edward. I love you_.

"Fuck!" I yell, throwing the glass and smashing it against the wall.

I hear a yelp and whirl around to see Bella standing at the bottom of the stairs with both hands covering her mouth. She looks frightened. I didn't mean for her to see me like this, but here I am, the true Edward Cullen. I have to put an end to this right now.

"Business that bad?" she asks in a low voice, while cautiously approaching me. I turn away from her, running one hand through my hair. This can no longer be put off. It's better this way. I straighten my shoulders, but don't turn around to look at her.

"Business is fine. This isn't about business." I say in a stony voice.

"Well is everything okay? I heard yelling."

"What you heard was James talking some sense into me. I can't do this anymore, Bella."

"Do what?"

I'm still not facing her, but I can hear in her voice that she's worried. There's no easy way to do this so I decide to just rip the bandage off.

"This thing between you and me has run its course. We're over."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	14. Chapter 14, Bombshell Aftermath

**Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Bombshell Aftermath**

* * *

**_Disclaimer:_** **_I don't own Twilight._**

**_BPOV_**

_Run its course? Over?_

_This must be some sort of joke. Are my ears deceiving me; or did I just hear correctly?_

"I don't understand, Edward. What happened?"

"Like I said, I finally came to my senses. We can't continue this. It's over."

_Why isn't he looking at me? Why is his voice so cold?_

"Wait what happened? Everything was fine earlier, now you're telling me that we're over. I don't understand." I say; the last sentence practically whispered to myself.

"What is there to understand? I just spelled it out for you."

I'm so confused. I can't look at him right now, so I simply focus on one point on the floor, trying to make sense of this. My heart feels like it's in my throat. This can't be happening. Everything was so perfect. What's happened for him to say these things to me? I feel like I'm in the Twilight zone. We were just planning a trip to Paris. I fucking gave him my heart. I told him I loved him repeatedly tonight, and I didn't run away. I stayed. There's no way I'm just going to curl up and take this.

"You don't even have the decency to look at me. Look at me, Edward!"

I yank on his arm, and he turns in my direction. There's hurt in his eyes. He doesn't want this to be over. I can see that he's struggling. Something's happened, but he's reluctant to tell me what it is.

"You're lying," I say, shaking my head. "Something's wrong. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me."

"Yes, something is wrong. You and I are wrong, Bella. We can't be together. We're too different."

"Different?" I ask, confused. "What do you mean dif...?"

Realization sets in.

"Oh, I get it! You're a wealthy oil company owner, and I'm some pauper who works at Starbuck's."

His eyes widen as if he's shocked by my outburst. I don't care; I'm getting angrier by the second. He tries to explain himself, but I don't want hear one more word of his garbage.

"Bella, it's not like that."

"Sure it is. I'm not good enough for you."

"You have no idea what my life is like, Bella…my parents…" He sounds defeated as he grips his hair.

"What do your parents have to do with any of this? This is between you and…"

"They made her leave!" He shouts.

I'm more confused now than I was a minute ago. He's scaring the hell out of me. _Her? Is there someone else?_

"Edward, what are you…"

"Leah. Her name is Leah and they made her leave!"

My heart plummets when he says her name, but I wait for him to twist the knife in further. I stand there waiting for him crush me further, by telling me that he loves another woman.

"He loved her." He paces back and forth, tugging on his hair.

"He? Edward…baby, I don't…"

His head jerks around to look at me. He must've realized the term I just used, as I just did. He blinks at me for a second and then continues.

"James was in love with Leah, correction she was the love of his life, and my parent's made her walk away from him."

"Well maybe she didn't love him as much as he thought, if she could just simply walk away because your parent's told her to."

"They paid," he adds, looking directly into my eyes as if he's trying to frighten me.

"Money?" I'm shocked.

He keeps talking, but things aren't making any sense. It's as if he isn't speaking to me, more like he's releasing a heavy weight from his shoulders.

"He doesn't know. He thinks she walked away because she didn't want to cause a rift between him and my parent's"

I walk up to him and try running my fingers through his hair in comfort, but he brushes my hand aside, shaking his head.

"You don't get it, Bella! She had nothing and they blackmailed her into leaving him, by threatening to take everything she had left; which wasn't much. Her family's small business was in jeopardy, and they threatened to finish destroying it if she didn't end it with James."

"Did she say no? Did she just take the money, Edward?" I say, shaking.

"They drew up a fucking contract, if you can believe that." He concludes with a dry chuckle. "She said she would end it with him, but she didn't want the money. She loved him, Bella." He's pacing around the house like a mad man. I've never seen him like this.

"If she loved him, then why didn't she just do what she said? Why didn't she just walk away without the money?" My voice is raised, and I can't understand why I'm feeling angry about what happened to Leah and James, but somehow it _is_ affecting me.

"It wasn't good enough for them, Bella. They knew he would fight for her, so they told her if she didn't sign the contract stating that she would take the money and stay away from James, they would destroy her and her family anyway. There was no other choice for her."

I'm completely baffled by what I'm hearing. _Are his parents really this bad?_ There's something that I feel needs addressing, but I'm not sure if I should ask; but since he's laying all this out, I choose to ask anyway.

"How much?" I whisper with caution. He stops pacing and looks at me for some time before he answers.

"Ten million." He replies with his eyes focused intensely on mine.

My mouth falls open as I repeat the words_._

"I can't do this any longer, Bella."

He looks like a beautiful mess. His hair is standing on end, and his eyes are wild. He looks like he's aged in just the short time since he left the bedroom.

I'm still in shock after what he's just revealed. I'm suddenly brought back to reality when I see a flash of movement in my periphery. He's walked past me and headed out of the door.

"Edward!" I shout, but he doesn't turn around. He's heading for his car. I run after him, managing finally to catch up, and I reach out to grab his hand but he wrenches it away hastily.

"Don't you understand; I can't be with you?" He yells, stopping and turning to face me.

"Why, because of your parents?"

"Did you not hear a single word I said, Bella? They'll ruin you, and I won't be able to do anything to stop it. This has to end."

"End?" I repeat. "No, you don't mean that."

"Look, it was a great ride, but we're kidding ourselves if we think this can work. They'll ruin you and take everything away from me and _that _can't happen."

"So this is about money?" I ask with narrowed eyes. "This is about your money?"

He turns away from me again, running both hands through his hair, clearly frustrated. When he decides to speak, he sounds defeated.

"I'm nothing without my wealth, Bella. Nothing. Let's face it, you wouldn't have given me a second look if I wasn't rich… hell no woman would!"

I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Does he actually think that's all there is to him? How can he not know how incredibly wonderful he is? He has to be kidding. His crooked smile alone would bring any girl to their knees, and here he is, spouting off about being nothing without money.

My rage escalates and finally boils over. I push him in the back, making him stumble slightly. I know I've totally caught him off guard. He whirls around, looking at me like I've just lost my mind.

"What the hell is your problem?" he spits.

"Shut up! Don't you dare compare me to those money hungry bitches you've fucked for sport. I'm not them; I don't want your fucking money!"

I don't recognize my own voice. I've become completely volatile; I've never reacted this violently before, and I despise it, but I'm so angry and hurt that he could even think of me in that way.

"Look, Bella this is who I am, and money plays a huge key in who I AM!" He yells, his finger poking his chest.

"I said, shut up!" I scream, slapping him across the face. My tears flow freely, as he grabs hold of both my wrists and yanks me into him. I manage to free one of my wrists for another slap, but he grabs my wrist in mid-air.

"You're a coward!" I shout through my sobbing. "You're hiding behind your money, and you're afraid to stand up to your parents for what you want!"

"And what do I want, Bella, huh? Since you seem to know everything about me." He gives me a shake. "All you are is some childlike college student with stars in her eyes over the first rich guy who swoops in and fucks her cross-eyed!"

This time the slap connects, and his cheek is tinged with a beautiful shade of pink.

"Stop fucking hitting me! I will not be responsible for my actions if you don't!"

"Oh, big man!" I laugh sarcastically. "What are you going to do, Edward, hit me back? You just try it, and my father will shoot you in your pretty little ass!"

"That's it!" he growls and drags me by the wrist. When I protest, he throws me over his shoulder roughly. "I'm going to shut that fucking mouth one way or another!"

"Get your hands off of me, you son of a bitch!"

"That's right keep talking!" He says and walks briskly until he arrives at the pool. He swings me down in front of him bridal style, with me trying desperately to get free.

"Edward! Don't you dare!" I hold onto his neck with a vice-like grip, but he shrugs me off, throwing me in fully clothed as I scream at him.

"Now cool the fuck off!"

"You asshole! I can't believe you just did that!" I splutter as I resurface for air.

"And I can't believe you had the audacity to let the words _'hit me back'_ pass your lips. Are you insane? I would never hit you, but it doesn't mean I'm going to allow you to do it to me."

I drag myself from the pool feeling heavy and disgusting. He sits in one of the loungers, his face buried in his palms. I look at the state he's in, and I feel remorse for the way I've acted. I slosh over to him and kneel down in front of him. His hands fall from his face, but he doesn't look up. Instead, his arms encircle my waist, and I scramble in-between his legs. The top of his head is buried in my mid-section, while I stroke his hair.

"I don't want your money. I want you." I say softly, trying to tilt his face up so I can see his eyes. He needs to know what I'm saying is the absolute truth; but he refuses and keeps his head down.

"I love you."

He scoffs. "Don't say that. You'll just want to take it back, so don't, Bella."

"I love you and I didn't it back; not the first or the second time, and I'm not taking it back now. I was afraid before, but now something scares me more."

"What?" he asks, instantly looking up at me.

"Losing you. I can't lose you, and I won't let your family scare me away. I love you."

"Fuck! Will you stop saying that? You can't…you can't, Bella." His voice is desperate and pleading for me not to love him, but it's too late.

"You can't tell me what to do, Edward Cullen. I know how I feel, and I know what I want."

"And you want me?"

I nod.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks, and I smile inwardly, seeing the white flag go up in his eyes.

"I've never been more certain about anything. I love you."

"You said it again." He whispers.

"Three or four times actually, but who's counting?" I laugh, cupping both sides of his face.

"I'm counting. You've said it four times, and after everything I've said and done, you're still here."

I nod, pressing my forehead to his and repeat.

"Still here."

.

.

.

"So we're really doing this?" he asks, while wrapping my legs around his waist. Somehow, from all this craziness that just happened tonight, we end up half naked in the pool. He says he feels bad for throwing me in, and that it was only fair for him to be as wet as me. He says this with a wink and a smirk of course.

"Yes, we are." I place a quick kiss on the tip of his nose.

"You'll get sick of me," he says as he pushes off the wall, letting us float out into the middle of the water.

"Never." I giggle.

"I'm moody, self absorbed and can be a real bastard ninety-eight percent of the time."

"Ninety-nine, but who's counting." He rolls his eyes and moves our intertwined bodies through the water as he continues ticking off all of his bad habits.

"I'm completely insatiable." He peers at me from under his eyelashes.

"Do you hear me complaining? There is nothing that you can say to me that will make me change my mind about you, Edward. You're stuck with me."

"I snore."

"You do not snore, Edward." I give him an eye roll of my own.

"Seriously Bella, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. I'm not always charming."

"I know you're not. You're perfect," I say as I lean down and suck his earlobe into my mouth.

"Bella." He growls. "You're not making this any easier by doing that."

"Good. Stop talking and put your mouth to better use."

"Isabella!" He pulls back to look at me. "I'm in shock, and I'm not perfect."

"You're perfect for me."

"I'm not perfect, but you make me feel like I can be better; like I can do anything."

With those words my entire being collapses, and he kisses me with a force so gentle yet so meaningful, I feel my body quake. He's decided that what we have is worth fighting for. We're going to be together and no one is going to stop that from happening.

.

.

.

"You have the most dazzling ass I've ever laid eyes on." I say in a daze as I watch him dress in front of me. I'm lying on my back, watching him from an upside down position.

"I think you only want me for my body." He turns to the front, giving me an eyeful. _Tease._

"No, I just enjoy drinking in every inch of you."

"Mmmm. You have to stop using analogies like that on me. I have a one track mind as it is." He leans over the bed to kiss me. "I'm not ready for you to go. I haven't had nearly enough of you yet."

"Well thank goodness it's only a week until we leave for Paris!" I shout and yank his face back to mine for a longer, passionate kiss.

"A week is too long." He kisses down my chin to my throat.

"We'll make up for it." I breathe starting to get dizzy from my head hanging off the bed. "I need to use the shower," I say, jumping up from the bed and practically gliding toward the bathroom.

"It's all yours, unless you want some company." He starts removing his shirt and presses me up against the armoire. He's hard again. He's right; he is insatiable.

"No! I'll never be able to make it out of this room, now behave." I push him away and disappear into the bathroom. I giggle as I hear him yelling from the other side of the door.

"Fine, I'll be downstairs with an extremely hard cock! Don't worry your pretty little head about me. Fuck! This could kill a man, Bella!"

I laugh harder when I hear him grumble something about beating off in the bathroom downstairs. _Edward Cullen. What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I head downstairs, slightly pissed off and strangely happier than I've been in a long time. Of course, my ego is as bruised as my balls because of Bella brushing off morning sex, but I'm happy because I've decided I want to be with her…to really be with her. I haven't told her about Tanya, and I'm not going to. I just need to buy some time to talk to my parents and break the news to Tanya that I'm not going to go through with this disaster of a marriage. My mind is made up. I can't walk away from Bella. She makes me happy. I've never felt this way about a woman…ever. The way she fought for me last night blew my mind. She can be so feisty and fearless when she's passionate about what she wants. I'll find a way to make this work. Once we get back to Chicago I'll handle everything. Bella doesn't have to know about Tanya.

As I approach the kitchen, I'm instantly in a bad mood.

"Eddie, aren't you looking rather gorgeous this morning."

"Thanks, although I can't say the same. You look like you've been up all night snorting lines off a dirty bathroom countertop, Vic."

I know I shouldn't have gone there, but the woman just makes me itch. She's offended to say the least, and I hear the bells chime in my head, _ding, round one!_

"You're such a fucking grouch. When was the last time you got some?"

"Don't worry about it. My sex life is none of your concern, not anymore."

"I'll take the obvious avoidance as you haven't had any in a while."

"Shouldn't you be somewhere blowing my brother?" I reach for the coffee pot, sliding past her without so much as a graze of our clothing.

"Jealous?"

"Hardly."

"You miss me, and you know it. I can tell by that bulge that's protruding in your Armani trousers."

I look at her and scoff. If only she knew that this boner was caused by a set of beautiful brown eyes and baby soft skin and not her alcoholic induced pupils, witchy voice with six inch claws to match. Victoria is the epitome of the word faux. Fake tits, fake nails; fake everything. Now I'm not against enhancements, but I simply hate Victoria.

"Victoria, I wouldn't touch you again if you were on your knees begging for it, and I do mean on your knees." I spit, but don't take my eyes off pouring my coffee.

"Fuck you, Edward!"

"Now, now kids, let's play nice." James emerges, enjoying the morning bickering.

"Didn't I make it clear that you weren't to bring her here, James?"

"Let's not go there, Edward. It's my house too."

"Whatever." I counter, clearly irritated.

I walk out of the kitchen as soon as I hear Bella's footsteps on the stairs. I don't want her to encounter Victoria. She'll try and humiliate her, and things will get really nasty. This thing with Victoria and me is normal to everyone else, but it will freak Bella out. It's too late though. Victoria has followed me into the living room, still upset at the things I said to her. She won't go too far though because James is oblivious to the fact that we've fucked in the past. Not that he would care, but he wouldn't have touched her if he'd known. He's a pig, but he lives by a code.

"Listen, you take the Jaguar, and I'll call you later okay?" I say, reaching into my pocket and handing Bella the keys.

"Are you trying to get rid of me now?"

"Yes. You don't want to be here for this, trust me." I say, pulling her towards the door.

"Who's your friend, Eddie? Don't be rude, introduce us."

Bella glares at me, and she steps around to introduce herself to Victoria.

"Hi, I'm Bella, nice to meet you."

"Victoria." She simply states and shakes Bella's hand. "Are you Edward's new toy?"

"Mind your own damned business, Victoria!" I yell and turn to look at Bella, who has a shocked expression on her face. "Ignore her and leave now before I have to strangle her in front of you."

"Um…okay. Will I see you later?"

"Nothing can keep me away from you." I reply and kiss her quickly on her forehead.

"Isn't that sweet. Jesus Edward, you must have her whipped."

"You would know a bit about that wouldn't you, Vic?" I snap. By no means do I want Bella to know about Victoria and me. She's so honest and good, and I want to try and be half of that for her, but Victoria has a knack of bringing out the bastard in me.

"Hey gorgeous, leaving so soon?" James addresses Bella, and she blushes and greets him with a wave.

_I'll murder him. _

"Come on Vic. Piss Edward off time is over."

"Later, Eddie."

"Later, Vic." I answer, annoyed. I shake my head in disgust as I watch them ascend the stairs. A match made in holy hell.

"Sorry about that." I turn my attention back to Bella; I can only imagine what she's thinking. "To put it mildly, she's a bitch."

"Yeah and you've slept with her."

"Bella, it was a long time ago and…."

She holds up her hand to silence me. "I don't care. It doesn't matter," she finishes, reaching up on her toes to place a kiss at the corner of my mouth. "I have to go. I have so many things to do."

I watch as she speeds off. I wanted to drive her home, but I have a lot of things to do as well. Our trip isn't going to book itself, so I have some phone calls to make.

.

.

.

I make reservations for the Presidential suite at the Hotel le Bristol. The hotel is beautiful, and I know she'll love it. Although I love the suite, I alert the hotel manager that I'll be staying for a week but that it won't be a business trip. I need some changes made to the décor of the room. I want it to be a little more romantic and sensual. He takes care of all my requests, even the dining ones. I want to make sure Bella will have everything her heart desires. That brings me to a few surprises I have for her as well. I'll enlist the help of a young woman there by the name of Ginger. She has exquisite taste. There's no way I'm letting Bella refuse me spoiling her. She'll never forget this trip.

I decide that we'll take the private jet rather than a commercial flight. I want to have complete privacy with her; and I'd do anything to see her eyes light up. I love that. It's another surprise; she won't find out about it until it's time to leave.

There's another phone call I have to make before it slips my mind. I grab my cell and dial. It picks up on the first ring and goes straight to voicemail. I roll my eyes in distaste at having to leave messages, but this needs to be done.

**_You have reached Tanya. I'm away from my phone. Leave a message._**

"Tanya, we need to talk. I won't be available next week, so it's important that you call me soon." I end the call and swipe my keys to the Mercedes off the coffee table. I have one more surprise I want to give Bella before we leave for Paris, and it deserves my immediate attention.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

Time has flown by this week. It's Thursday, and I've been preparing all week for our trip to Paris. Angela seems to be more excited than I am and that's saying something because I'm ecstatic. We've done so much shopping this week, every day after work. All the money I had saved has practically been spent, except for what I need for school. My credit cards are maxed out too, but it's worth it. I know Edward will try to spend ridiculous amounts of money on me; the least I can do is buy my own clothes and incidentals, since he's paying for the entire trip.

Angela has decided to head back to Chicago to move out of Mike's apartment. She also wants to start getting ready for classes, as they'll be starting up again in about two weeks.

When I told Charlie about my trip to Paris, he insisted on meeting Edward. I'm freaking out. I've never introduced my dad to a guy I was dating before, mostly because I've never dated anyone seriously. He's right though; it's time for them to meet. I'll be leaving for Paris in two days and returning back home to Chicago soon after we return.

"So when do I get to meet this guy?" he stretches his feet out onto the coffee table

"He'll be here shortly. Dad can you remove the gun?" I say, chewing on my thumbnail.

"I'm not going to shoot him, Bells. I just want to meet the guy who has my little girl following him around the world, that's all."

"You're trying to intimidate him, Dad."

"Look, if he's a real man then he won't be intimidated."

Charlie can be so frustrating at times. I know he's only protecting me, but it doesn't make me feel any less nervous.

Edward didn't miss a beat when I told him my dad wanted to meet him. He told me he'd be here in an hour; he also added that he has some sort of surprise for me.

He shows up at the door with a pale blue gift bag and a bouquet of white Calla lilies in hand. I beam at the sight of him, and he greets me with a kiss to my forehead. I'm sure the chaste act is to ease Charlie's mind.

"I missed you," he whispers, holding out the flowers for me to take. "These are for you."

"Thank you. I didn't peg you for the flower giving type, but they're beautiful."

"I'm not actually, but you bring it out of me. Besides, they remind me of you. I walked past them and couldn't resist. I have something else for you as well." He gestures to the gift bag. "It's for later though. Where's your dad?" he peers over the top of my head, searching for Charlie. Almost as if he can sense him, Charlie walks into the kitchen with gun in tow and Sadie at his heels.

"Chief Swan, it's good to finally meet you."

"You too, Edward. I've heard a lot about you."

The two of them exchange handshakes and wander into the living room, talking and laughing as if they're old friends. I stand there, gaping at my father and my boyfriend as if I don't recognize either of them. _Wait, boyfriend? Have we even put a label on what we are yet?_

Here we are, sitting in the living room eating pizza. _Pizza for Christ's sake! Edward is used to eating at the best restaurants. He knows how to make friggin fancy French grilled ham and cheese; and here he is chugging beer, gobbling up piles of greasy grub and telling knee-slapping, belly grabbing jokes with my father. _ I'm in complete and utter shock. I didn't pick it to go like this. I thought Charlie would at least give him the third degree. He doesn't even do the gun-scaring thing.

They're getting along. It's…weird, yet a relief. Even Sadie's bonding with him. Every now and then, I'd see Edward scratch behind her ears. I'll definitely tease him about it later.

After Charlie basically gives his blessing for me, his grown daughter to go away with her boyfriend, he says goodnight to Edward, saying he needs to turn in for the night; but not before they make plans to go on a fishing trip sometime.

"What are you?" I ask with my head cocked to one side and my eyes squinted.

"What are you talking about?" he says as he pulls me closer to him, pressing our lower halves together tightly.

"I'm talking about that whole thing with my dad. He was all prepared to give you the stare of death and send you running with a flash of the gun on his hip. How did you manage to make him soften up like that?"

"He's far from soft, Bella. He just cares about his baby girl." I smile, knowing he's paid attention to the endearment my dad uses when he speaks about me. "He loves you fiercely and wants you happy, that's all. I get that; and that's all I want to do….make you happy, Brown Eyes."

"Oh yeah, before I forget." He pulls away and reaches for the blue gift bag. " I hope I wasn't too presumptuous," he says nervously, scratching the back of his head.

I take the bag cautiously from his hand and peek inside. My mouth forms a little O as I pull out the contents. It's a little doggy t-shirt that says le' pooch' and a faux dog passport.

I look up at him, still gaping. "Are you saying…?"

"I know she means a lot to you and…I don't know… it would be fun right?"

I squeal and jump into his arms. He knows how much I hate leaving her behind, especially for any significant length of time. I cannot believe he's made arrangements for her to come to Paris with us.

"Wait, isn't it a bit last minute to set up arrangements for her? We leave in two days, Edward and I…"

"I was trying to hold off on this until we leave, but there will be plenty more surprises when we reach Paris. We're taking my private jet, so everything's been arranged for her to tag along."

"Oh my God, are you for real? This is amazing!" I crush my lips to his, showing my appreciation for him being such a terrific person. "I can't wait until we go. I have a surprise for you too when we get there."

"Well in that case, I'm going to leave now so I can finish getting the rest of my plans in order. I need to see if things are a go with the jet and make some business calls before it's time to leave." He kisses me quickly and walks towards the door, pulling me along with him. "Get some rest, Sweetheart." I'll call you later.

"Okay. Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He leans back inside the door to kiss me briefly. "Two more days, Brown Eyes," he whispers against my lips and strolls off.

I close the door behind me and lean my head against it in a dreamlike state. _Two more days_.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**_Next up is Paris and Tanya._**

**_Thanx for reading and please review. _**


	15. Chapter 15 Bombshell part 2

**Chapter 15: Bombshell Part 2**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Stephanie owns it all. (But not Wedlocked… would she want to?)_**

**_See you at the bottom._**

**BPOV**

"Goddamn it! You stupid idiot!" I yell. I feel a little silly berating the luggage that I'm trying to drag down the steps to the living room area. My struggles end when my hold somehow breaks and the suitcase goes thumping and bumping down the stairs; it flies open, sending all of my belongings scattering, leaving a trail down the stairs. I huff and throw up my hands in disgust. Apparently, it's a dumb move to not zip the offending monstrosity before trying to transport it to another part of the house. _Seriously Bella._

I stand at the top of the stairs looking down at the dreaded contraption. I feel sillier for trying to maneuver it in heels and a dress.

_This is entirely your fault, for making me want to look cute for you, Edward Cullen._

I'm waiting for Edward to pick me up. Today is the day. _Paris,_ I think as I stomp down the stairs to repack the suitcase.

Charlie stands in the archway between the kitchen and living room trying to hide an obvious smirk; he's unsuccessful.

"Do you need help with that?" he gestures with his index finger.

"No, I'm good." My voice strains as I bend down to pick up the clothing. I don't want him to help, because then I'd have to see the expression on his face when his gets an eyeful of the intimate apparel I've packed for the trip. He would be cool, but would totally tease me about it.

Once I have everything neatly repacked, I drag my suitcase again. Charlie decides to help anyway, grabbing it with ease.

"What do you have in this thing, rocks?"

"I'm going to be away for a full week, Dad," I whine. "I need everything that's in there and possibly more." Just then, the doorbell rings and I can't stop the goofy smile that spreads across my face.

"I'll get that. You finish doing…what you're doing." He says, with a confused look.

"I'm ready, Dad. I've never been more ready."

"Yeah well, don't be too eager." He says with a wink.

I roll my eyes and wait for him to let Edward in. For some reason, I just need to see his face to believe that this is really happening. When Charlie opens the door, I'm rewarded with a slightly scruffy Edward with disheveled hair. He's completely dressed down in a cream colored V-necked, long sleeved 'T', pushed up to the elbows and pale blue jeans. He's wearing black tennis shoes.

_Tennis shoes! I've never seen him in tennis shoes._

"Hey Edward, come on in." Charlie grabs his hand in a firm handshake.

"Hey Charlie, how's it going?"

_Wait Charlie? What happened to Chief Swan?_

I stare at the two of them, still not able to understand how their relationship evolved to this point. _Was it when I was ordering the pizza?_

I shake my head to get my thoughts under control as he approaches me.

"Are you ready for the time of your life, Brown Eyes?" he asks, with a kiss to my forehead. I can do nothing except smile widely at him in return. "I'll take that as a yes." He's smiling back just as brightly.

As Edward and Charlie load my bags into the car, I give Sadie a long goodbye, with plenty of hugs and head scratches. I'm sad that I've decided not to take her. She's been really riled up for the last couple of nights, and I just think it would be too much for her to fly for that length of time.

"Brown eyes, it's time to go." He yells from outside. I give Sadie another big hug and promise to bring her back a treat.

I sprint out of the door. My dad and Edward seem to be locked in some sort of serious conversation.

"I'm ready." I say, sauntering up to Edward.

"Okay Bells, I'll see you next week then." Charlie says, patting me on the head.

"Okay, Dad." I answer with a modest hug. Charlie hates goodbyes so I don't want to make the moment too mushy in front of Edward.

"Do you have enough money?"

"Dad, I'm okay," I whisper.

"Well alright then. I just needed to make sure. Edward you take care of my baby girl now, else I'll hunt you down."

"Don't worry Charlie, she's in good hands."

I give Charlie another hug, this time I throw modesty to the wind and hold him really tightly and for a long time, and I climb in the car as Edward holds open the door.

"Bye, Dad. Take care of Sadie for me."

"Don't worry. Bye kid."

Edward enters the car and looks at me with a wicked smile on his perfect lips.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing. Wow, you're suspicious." He says, pulling out of the driveway and giving Charlie a final honk of the horn.

"I'm suspicious because I know you're up to something, Edward Cullen."

"Relax baby. It's all good, I promise."

He reaches over the console, lacing his fingers with mine. I don't think I could love him anymore than I do at this moment, but something tells me that Paris is going to be a turning point in our relationship. I can feel it.

.

.

.

We arrive at Edwards's private jet and to say that I'm in awe would be an understatement. My eyes grow to the size of mini saucers when I view the interior of the jet. It's plush, black and white from floor to ceiling. My breath hitches when I feel him press into me from behind.

"You like?" he breathes in my ear.

I nod stupidly, not trusting my voice to articulate words.

"Good. I'm glad you approve." He concludes with a lingering, wet kiss to the side of my neck and then brushes past me.

I wait for him, as he makes sure everything is in order for us to take off. He tells me that he'll give me a tour once we're at a comfortable altitude to move around freely. When he returns, we both secure our seatbelts and prepare to get comfortable for a long flight. I wonder what we're going to do to pass the time.

"Hey beautiful."

I turn my attention to him and away from the dreaded window I'm sheepishly peeking out of.

"Hi."

"I think it's safe for us to unbuckle ourselves now. Seth gave me the okay a few moments ago. Are you hungry? I've made us some lunch."

"Fancy grilled ham and cheese?" I ask, practically bouncing in my seat with an ear-to-ear grin.

"No, but I promise there will be plenty of that once we land and settle in, if that's what your heart desires."

"My heart desires you," I say, rising from my seat and taking up new residence on his lap. "My heart also desires any yummy thing your magical hands made for lunch." I land a quick kiss on his nose.

After we've dined on the most fabulous lunch consisting of an assortment of imported cheeses and French bread, we sprawl out on the couch. It's so intimate, yet sweet the way we just caress each other while reminiscing about all the wonderful and crazy events that led us to this point in our relationship.

"Did you ever think that we would end up like this?" I ask, lacing my fingers through his and holding them up for inspection. Seeing our hands together this way impacts me deeply, and I feel like this is how I want the rest of my life to be. I want to be like this with him forever.

"Of course I knew we would end up like this." He snorts in mock annoyance.

"Seriously Edward." I whine.

"Okay no, but I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that I wanted you…that you were special."

I contemplate what he's said and smile briefly to myself, thinking about the first time I met him.

"How long will it take for us to get to Paris?"

"It will take us approximately nine hours and nice on the avoidance move," he whispers in my ear.

"I wasn't avoiding. I was only curious. Besides, you answered the question," I answer coyly. So, when exactly did you realize that I was special?"

"Ah, Ah, Ah. It's my turn to ask a question."

"Oh, are we playing that game again?"

"Yes, we are." He answers quickly and tangles our legs together. "How many guys have you had sex with?"

My entire body stiffens, and I don't understand why. There have only been two others. I'm not what some people might label as promiscuous, but it still makes me uneasy to give him an honest answer.

"Um…two?" I respond in the form of a question.

"Are you sure?" he asks humorously.

"Yes, I'm sure. What about you, Casanova? I'm sure you've had plenty of women."

"Seven," he states simply and takes his turn with the Q and A.

"How good was the sex?" He loosens his hands from our clasp and starts to draw lazy patterns on my back.

I don't know where he's going with this line of questioning, and I don't want to know. I sit up and straddle him, staring into his beautiful, hypnotic eyes.

"Sex with you is mind blowing."

"I meant…"

"Sex with you is mind blowing." I annunciate the last words so he knows just how serious I am.

"Mmmmm, okay, next question."

"Ah, ah, ah…my turn." I imitate his earlier assertion.

"Technically, it's still mine, because you cleverly avoided the last question, but I want to try something else." He sits up and repositions our bodies so that I'm still straddling him and his back is flush against the back of the couch.

"I want to play a little game first." I interrupt.

He looks intrigued and slightly aroused at the same time. "What game?" he says in a velvety, serious tone.

"Let's see who can make who orgasm first." I say boldly.

Shifting his gaze away from me, he half smiles. "That sounds easy enough, Brown Eyes, and I'll win." He focuses on me with a gleam in his eyes as he starts to slide his hands under my dress and tug on my panties. I seize his hands with my own and shake my head.

"No."

"No? He repeats as his eyebrows shoot up.

"This has to happen with clothes on."

"Are you serious? What are the rules?" he asks in disbelief.

"The only rule is for this to happen without our bare parts touching and without any penetration."

He narrows his glare at me and licks his lips slowly. I haven't seen him do that since our first run in with each other.

"You're gonna lose this game, baby."

I scoot my hips closer to him and feel the slightest swell from his erection.

"This…" I rub myself against him. "This says I'm gonna win."

He hisses from the pressure I apply to his bulge. "You might just be right this time, Brown Eyes, but let's test that theory."

With a growl he abruptly flips our positions so I'm pinned on the couch underneath him. I gasp at the playful roughness he used to gain the upper hand. He looks down at me with a toothy grin plastered on his face.

"You're not going to win." I reach up to nip at his pouty bottom lip. He reciprocates by sucking on my top one. This is a game, but the way he's teasing my lips is sending warm sensations all through my body. Our tongues came together and we moan in unison. His body is crouched over the top of mine, with one hand above my head braced on the arm of the couch and the other yanking up my dress. He's working at an accelerated pace, and I need to stop him while I can. I trail my hand down his chest and further down to where I can feel his need for me. I squeeze his cock firmly, and he groans loudly and deeply in the back of his throat. He tears his lips away from mine and stares at me sinisterly.

"You're not going to win," he says and lowers his hips in-between mine. He's so hard through his jeans that it almost hurts when he grinds his cock into my inner thigh.

"That's not the place you want to hit if you want to win." I say in a cocky and sultry voice. I reach down again and stroke him gently. He pulls my hand away and with one of his large hands, he pins them both above my head. He kisses and sucks on my neck while I feel his other hand undoing his belt. I hear the clinking of the buckle as he finally succeeds in loosening it. Then there's a swift, loud swishing sound. When I try to lift my head to see what he's doing, he crashes his lips to mine. His tongue expertly pries my lips open as he flicks it back and forth with my own. I feel something cold and stiff brush against my hand, and my eyes shoot open when he sits up on his knees and wraps his belt around my wrists.

"What are you doing, Edward?"

"I'm winning."

My wrists are bound securely and I can't break free. He yanks my dress higher up until it's bunched around my waist. I feel a little angry until his demeanor changes. His hands slide slowly up my thighs, while his eyes linger on my white lace boy shorts.

"You see something you like?"

"You still want to play?" He counters.

His poker face is phenomenal. I can hardly tell if this is a game anymore.

"Are you giving in?" I ask sarcastically.

"I do seem to have a rope on things, Brown Eyes…uh… no pun intended." He gestures to my bound hands that are still planted above my head.

"I think you're afraid of losing, that's why you pulled this little stunt."

"I don't lose. I thought I showed you that once before. It's a shame some people never learn when to quit."

Then with a sharp tug he pulls down one side of my wrap dress to expose my bra and slips that down as well. He leans in and licks my nipple before drawing it into his mouth, sucking ever so gently. My eyes roll back, and I moan wantonly. I can feel his tongue swirling, biting and flicking my sensitive peak. If I don't do something and fast, I'll be coming from this act alone. I encase his hips with my legs and pull him into me. When his cock brushes my center he moans into my breast causing vibrations to shoot through my body. He thrusts his hips in an in and out motion, and the sensation claims every thought I have. The game is over. All I want to do is feel him, but I keep up the charade because I'm in love with the way he's taking control. I start moving my hips in a circular motion every time he thrusts forward.

"Mmmm baby, you feel so fucking good. Keep doing that." He murmurs.

My pace picks up and so does his. His jeans are rough, but add an enticing tingle with the mix of lace from my panties.

"Fuck! I can feel you getting wet." He hisses and pushes up on his hands to look at me. "Are you wet, Brown Eyes?"

"Yes. Are you gonna cum?" I ask with my voice slightly shuddering.

"No, but you are."

He reaches down and unbuttons his pants, pulling them down low enough past his protruding erection that's covered by his black boxer briefs.

"No." I pant. "I said no skin to skin contact."

"I'm sticking to the rules, but I need to feel you. Just the jeans, okay?"

Grabbing my leg and draping it over the back of the couch he lowers his hips back down and slides his cock back and forth, up and down.

It feels so good that I want to scream. I bring my hands down and loop them around his neck.

"You still think you're gonna win?" His voice is strained like he's struggling.

"Edward?"

"What?"

"I don't want to play anymore."

"Oh, God me neither." He mumbles into my neck.

"Untie me please!" I beg.

He quickly sits up and ducks his head from underneath my arms and undoes the belt hurriedly. Once my hands are free, I grab the back of his neck and direct him back to sucking my naked breast.

He reaches down in between us once more and adjusts his cock so that the tip is pointing straight out towards my entrance.

"Aren't you going to take them off?" I ask, somewhat confused.

"Not yet…I want to make you come like this." He breathes heavily.

He starts grinding his cock into my center again at a painfully slow pace. I grip his ass, trying to make him go faster and he complies. He thrusts faster, and I bite my bottom lip in a satisfied smile.

"Oh…yes! Right there, baby. Don't move." I huff and pant, squeezing his ass roughly, trying to minimize his thrusting so that he'd continue to hit that one perfect spot.

"Right there, baby? Is that the spot?"

"Oh God yes! Don't stop." My lower body jerks and twists as he keeps up his pace, hitting my clitoris directly with every stroke. Who'd have ever thought dry humping could be so erotic and satisfying. _Damn it, this feels so good._ "Oh...Oh, Edward don't stop! Please!"

"That's it. Come apart for me, baby," he grunts. I hadn't even realized that this is getting him off as well.

With those words, my hands shoot to my head and fingers lock in my hair, gripping tightly as I scream when my orgasm hits.

"Fuck!" I hear him say through gritted teeth.

Looking at him through heavy, lidded eyes, I watch as he sits up on his knees and shoves one hand down his boxers. His hand starts to pump furiously. He's close and I have the pleasure of watching him bring himself to orgasm this way.

The muscles and the veins in his neck that stand out are so beautiful and so are the ones that strain in his forearm as he works his hand back and forth. I can't believe how comfortable he is with himself, to do this in front of me. There'll never be anyone else but him. I'm so in love with him, I can barely see or think straight.

Once I came down from my high, I lean up on my elbows to watch him more closely.

"Don't move." He says, shaking his head. "I need to see you when I come."

"I want to be the one that makes you come," I whisper.

He looks at me then reaches for my hand and pulls his boxers down with his free hand. His cock bobs forward, and he wraps my hand around his hardness. My eyes roll back when contact is made. It feels better than the first time…silky…warm…long…thick and so hard. I can feel it pulsing and throbbing as I pump up and down. His hips move in harmony with my hand, in and out.

"Oh shit, just like that, baby! Fuck! Ungggh!" He roars as his cock thrusts in my hand one final time.

My movements slow as streams of white liquid spill over my hand like lava from a volcano.

"Ahhhhh! Holy fucking Christ woman! You will be the near death of me." He says, head thrown back, breathing heavily.

"That was so intense."

"Hell yeah it was. You're a naughty girl," he says, stroking my cheek. "I can't wait to get you to Paris so we can see just how naughty you can be."

After everything that just happened, I still blush at his comments.

He reaches over to the table snatching a few tissues from its holder and wipes off my hand and wrist. "Oh and by the way, I win." He finishes with a wink. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

He stands up from the couch, pulling me with him. "Where are we going?"

"I'm showing you to the restroom, and I'm going to see how Seth is doing. I also need to put the final touches on our dinner plans once we land. Now scoot. I'll meet you back out here when you're done."

I hadn't realized just how extremely sophisticated this jet is. I sigh happily and turn on the shower.

As I stand beneath the spray, I vow to make this the best vacation of my life.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

Shit I haven't dry humped since I was a teenager and even then, I was all about getting inside the flesh; but watching Bella get off on it was hands down the hottest thing I've ever witnessed. She's far from a whip wielding dominatrix in bed, but the little things she does do, make my head whirl, and I'm not going to mention what it does to my cock. Breaking her out of her shyness is on the top of my priority list once we settle into the hotel.

While I'm busy thinking of ways to open Bella up, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I retrieve it and see the display read _T. _I rise to my feet and quickly, but discreetly; shut the door to the bedroom.

"You finally decided to return my call I see."

**_I've been busy sweetie…you know, with the wedding plans that you keep avoiding._**

"About that, we need to talk."

**_Okay, what's it about, the guest list? I promise I won't invite anyone else…Oh except I sent an invitation to Mrs. Cope and her family, and before you shoot it down, I think it's important for her to be there._**

Her mouth is going a mile a minute. Damn her! Mrs. Cope? She knows I hate that woman. I stand with my back and head against the wall, listening to her go on and on. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I interrupt her ramblings.

"Tanya, we need to talk about the wedding, and I don't want to do it over the phone."

**_Well now I'm intrigued; so if it's all the same to you, I want to hear what you have to say because you never have anything to say about the wedding, Edward._**

"Fine, I'm calling off the wedding. I'm not in love with you, and you sure as hell don't love me, so it's the only logical thing to do."

There's silence, then all of a sudden she breaks into a fit of giggles. _Does she think I'm joking?_

**_Okay fine, I'll retract the invitation to Mrs. Cope. I'll make up something. Is that better?_**

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child, Tanya, and this has nothing to do with who you invited. We are not getting married that is final."

**_Are you at the beach house? I'll fly down there and we can talk about this calmly and rationally. Just tell me where you are._**

"I'm not at the beach house. I'm flying the fucking friendly skies, and there is nothing left to talk about. The wedding is off."

I can hear Bella's footsteps as she approaches, calling my name.

**_Wait, flying? Where are you going? Edward?_**

"Goodbye, Tanya."

I end the call and sigh heavily before Bella knocks on the door.

"Edward?"

"I'm coming, Brown Eyes."

_On the other side of that door is my future, with long brown hair and the most gorgeous, big brown eyes known to man. She's all I need._

* * *

**_BPOV_**

"Oh…my…God!" I scream. "This is perfect! Did you do all this for me?"

"All for you, my gorgeous girl," he says, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"Edward, this room is so…I can't find the words to describe how beautiful this is."

"Well it had to match you. How do you feel after the flight? Are you tired? He says, swaying us back and forth.

"I'm starving." I turn in his arms to face him.

"Then let's get you fed. I made dinner reservations for us. You're going to love this place."

"Okay, what should I wear?"

"Something like what you wore on the jet is fine. You looked beautiful in it, and it had easy access." He waggles his eyebrows.

"Do you ever get enough?"

"I told you I was insatiable." He says with a loud smack on my ass.

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?" I whine with a pout.

"Mmmm, don't pout it does crazy things to my lower body parts, if you know what I mean." He finishes by sucking on my bottom lip. "I'll kiss this better too, later." He rubs his hands back and forth over my stinging tush. "Now go get dressed so I can show you what I really wanted to do to you the first time we had dinner together."

"Yes sir." I salute him and run to the bathroom to get ready.

* * *

**_TPOV_**

_Woody Wood Pecker-haired, gorgeous fucker! No one hangs up on me!_

I flip through my list of contacts and dial when my eyes focus on the number I'm looking for.

"Barry, I need you to find out where my fiancée is residing at the moment."

I roll my eyes, listening to his nonsense.

"Well, if he had told me where he was, I wouldn't be calling you, now would I, Barry? I'll expect a response within the hour."

I pace back and forth across my office floor, talking to myself.

"Damn it, Edward Cullen! Who in the hell do you think you are?"

There is no way this wedding is off. I'll murder him with my own bare hands.

"This had better not have anything to do with the _no sex_ rule. I mean, it's not that I don't want to have sex with him." I continue out loud. "I mean, God, look at him! What woman in her right mind wouldn't want him?" I throw my hands up in the air for emphasis. "I have morals and values. Besides he can wait until the wedding. It will be that much more fulfilling." I finish with one hand on my hip and stomping with my six- inch heel. _Where the hell are you Edward?"_

_Just then my cell phone rings._

"Barry, you better have the news I want to hear."

I can't believe I have to resort to having my own fiancée followed to find out where he is.

**_His jet landed in Paris about an hour ago._**

"Excellent. I'll wire you the payment in an hour. Oh, and keep yourself available. I may need you again. Bye Barry." _Paris? What the hell is he doing there?_

"Jill?" I call to my receptionist over the intercom.

**_Yes Ms. Denali?_**

"I need you to have the private jet prepared for me."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	16. Chapter 16, Paris

**_Disclaimer: Steph Meyer owns it all. (Lucky Biotch!)_**

_**Chapter 16, Paris**_

**_BPOV_**

_Christ Bella, you look like you should be standing on the top of a wedding cake! _

I think to myself as I wrestle with the white knee length halter dress I've decided to wear to dinner. My eyes stretch at the sight of how deeply the 'V' is cut at the cleavage.

My boobs will spill out if I reach for a damned wine glass.

I finally give up and figure I look presentable enough for dining. I blow my hair out of my eyes and with one more toss of it over my shoulders, I retrieve my purse and step out of the bathroom, and I catch Edward in mid yell.

"Brown Eyes, hurry up! You've been in there for hours."

"I'm right here." I say quietly.

He whips around as he finishes buckling his belt. I'm nearly floored by the mere sight of him. His hair is slightly damp and combed back. All traces of dishevelment are now gone, but his face still sports a little scruff. His jade colored shirt enhances his eyes unbelievably; the sleeves are pushed past his forearms the way I love. My eyes travel to where his hands are located and beyond them. His black trousers fit sleekly, with the promise of something prominent underneath.

_"You are positively edible."_ I think, shaking my head back and forth slowly.

"Am I now?" he says with raised eyebrows, startling me out of my thoughts.

_Shit! I said that out loud. Nice, Bella._

"Umm…I..."

"You know you can't say things like that to me, Brown Eyes." He says, moving closer into me. His arms encircle my waist and pull me tightly to him. "God, you are so beautiful," he finishes as he leans in and inhales my hair.

"Maybe we ought to skip dinner and stay here." He says, tilting my chin up to meet his lustful gaze. "Or at least have dinner delivered," he concludes with a deep, open-mouthed kiss.

"Edward." I state in a warning tone.

"Okay, okay. Fine, but I'm not promising to behave myself throughout the entire meal, so don't even suggest it." He slides one strong hand down to my behind and squeezes firmly. He groans deeply in the back of his throat.

"Fuck! Are you not wearing panties?"

I brush his hand away from my backside and smile wickedly.

"You'll find out later." I whisper against his lips, after giving them a chaste peck.

"Now let's go, I'm starving."

"You're a fucking tease."

"Such language, Mr. Cullen," I gasp in mock astonishment. "Could your mouth get any dirtier?"

"Oh, I'll show you just how dirty it can get, Brown Eyes." He swats my behind roughly.

"Ouch!" I squeal. "Hey, not so rough."

"You don't like it rough?" he asks menacingly, while trapping me against the door.

"Um…I've never…had it rough…before." I respond, momentarily dazed by the way his voice sounds. He knows he's breaking my resolve and is thoroughly enjoying it.

"Then we'll definitely have to fix that."

His tongue enters my mouth with a forceful invasion, and I whimper. My hands latch onto his hips making him grind his erection into me. We're out of control and frenzied, kissing and groping every available part of the other's body our hands can find. My back slides up the door as his hands go under my dress, and he hoists me up by the back of my thighs. He pulls away from our kiss and stares into my eyes.

"Shit! You don't have any panties on. What are you trying to accomplish, driving me insane?"

"Um…not really." I pant.

"Well I beg to differ." He says in a voice deeper than 've ever heard him use.

He dips his head and starts licking my exposed cleavage and rotating his hips in unison. His hardness is rotating circles against my bare crotch, and I realize that if I don't stop him, we won't make it out of this room.

"Edward, we have to stop."

It's the weirdest thing. The whole time I'm telling him we have to stop, my legs are wrapping around him and pulling him closer.

"We don't have to stop anything." He grunts into the valley of my breasts. "Take off my pants."

"Wait, what about dinner?"

"Fuck dinner!" He finishes with one hard thrust of his hips that drives me about another six inches further up the door.

"Unghh!" My mouth falls open, and my head lolls back, hitting the door.

"Take off my pants _now_, Bella."

"But we have reservations, Edward. We're going to be late." I sound out of breath like I've just run the 'hundred k.'

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! You're worried about fucking reservations, _now_?" He growls, letting me slide back down the door and removing his hands from under my dress. I'm a little disappointed to say the least. "Look at me, Bella!" He says, gesturing wildly to his bulging crotch. "You did this with your non-panty wearing scheme. What am I supposed to do with this now?"

I watch as he rakes his fingers through his hair, looking around the room as if he's trying to locate something to rectify his little problem. His hair is no longer neat. It's back to its normal disarray.

"We always have after dinner," I say, closing the distance between us.

"Christ, Bella! I can have the whole Goddamned restaurant brought up here, just say the word."

"No, Edward. We're in Paris, and I don't know when I'll ever get the chance to see it again, so let's go to dinner." I say, dragging him to the door. I could have sworn I saw him pout. I smile at the thought of it.

"Bella, we can come to Paris anytime you want. Hell, I'll take you anywhere you want to go. Baby, can we please just…Fuck…I need to be inside of you right now." His hand is braced against the door, stopping me from opening it.

"Later, I promise. Come on," I say, yanking the door open.

"Ughhhh. How the fuck am I supposed to walk like this, Bella?" he huffs.

I giggle as he closes the door behind us, and we head towards the elevator.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

"What the hell are you doing?" You're supposed to eat that."

I watch in amazement and somewhat annoyance as she plays erotically with her food. Carrots Julienne has never been so properly cared for in its entire veggie life. She sucks each piece through her puckered lips…slowly. I swear I can feel those same lips wrap around my cock. _The wetness and silkiness of her tongue,_ _the unusual, yet natural color of those beautiful pink lips._ _Fuck! _I scrub my hand over my face to clear my thoughts. I can't believe I'm actually jealous of a damned vegetable.

"You're doing that on purpose." I hiss through my teeth.

"What?" she asks sweetly, feigning ignorance.

"You know goddamned well what, Isabella."

"Isabella?" She laughs with her eyebrows raised.

She wraps her tongue around the sliver and draws it in slowly. My knee bounces beneath the table, and beads of sweat are beginning to form on my forehead. I'm not going to be able to take much more of this. _Try to be a gentleman and bring a lady to a nice dinner and see what you get...teased._

It's a good thing the restaurant only has a few other couples dining tonight. They're too wrapped up in their own business to notice what's going on at our table. _Why is she torturing me like this?_ _Fuck this. _ _I'm going to come, even if it has to be at this table._

I reach underneath the table, never breaking eye contact with her. I give her a slight smile when I notice her eyes widen as I grab her foot and remove her high heel.

_Two can play this game, baby._

I massage her foot before yanking it. I stifle a laugh as I watch her body slide down in her chair as I pull at her foot to reach my lap. She grasps the sides of the table to keep from descending any further. When she hears the zipper on my pants retract, she immediately straightens up.

"I need to use the ladies room." She says, wiping her lips with her napkin and pushing away from the table. I watch as her hips sway as she walks in the direction of the bathroom. _No panties._ I think. I quickly re-zip and discreetly follow her. I wait until I'm sure there is no one left inside but her. With a final sweep of the restaurant, I step through the door, locking it behind me.

She gasps and whirls around when she spots me in the reflection of the mirror.

"Edward what…"

I cut her off with a finger to my lips and a shake of my head, letting her know to keep silent.

I walk over to her, pinning her against the vanity top and I kiss her, stopping only to whisper in her ear that all her teasing is driving me mad.

"Edward we can't do this here," she breathes.

"Shhhhh."

I'm no longer joking with her. This is serious. I've never wanted anyone so desperately in my life. She's stirred something up in me that I'm no longer able to contain. I look down into those brown eyes that have come to mesmerize me. I want her to know how serious I am.

"Take. Off. My. Pants." I enunciate every word.

Our eyes are locked as I watch her bite her bottom lip and grant my request. I work on my shirt, while she continues with my briefs.

Once my shirt is undone and my cock freed, I snatch up her dress, exposing her soft, luminous skin and lift her up onto the countertop. Her breath hitches as the cold granite makes contact with her ass.

"No more teasing," I rasp as I grasp my cock and drag it up and down her wetness, coating the tip with her sweet nectar. I slide inside her halfway and lift her back off the counter, impaling her down on it the rest of the way.

"Oh God!" she groans, wrapping her arms around my neck tightly.

I grab her ass and begin fucking her at an accelerated pace.

"God, baby do you know how good you feel? Lock your legs behind me."

She complies and the act gives me the deeper access that I'm seeking.

'Ohhhh!" She moans loudly and with every upward thrust, her breath hitches. I drag my teeth down the front of her dress until her breast pops out, and I suck relentlessly. I'm ramming my cock so hard that her legs fall from around my waist, and she has to reach backwards and grip the counter with both hands. I move her back to sit on top, while I continue my assault. Her legs are spread wide for me, and I love the way her pussy grips and squeezes my cock until it's almost painful.

"So good baby. I could stay inside you for a lifetime. Slide your ass to the edge a little more, so I can make you come hard."

She moves to the edge, and I brace both my hands on the mirror behind her head, and with long sharp strokes I feel my orgasm building and her clamping tighter around my cock. She starts moving in circles, and I feel like I'm going to lose it.

"Oh baby, mmmm. That's it, keep doing that. Fuck my cock just like that," I whisper in her ear.

Her moans and pants become louder. I gently place my hand over her mouth, and she captures one of my fingers in-between her lips and starts to suck.

"God, you don't know how much I want to be in your mouth."

I watch as my finger slides from her lips, and she licks hers slowly.

"I want that too. I want it now."

"Not here baby, but soon. There are so many things I want, but right now I need you to come for me."

I pump my cock in and out with force. Every time I push in, the base of my dick drags upward, hitting her sensitive spot.

"Oh God...Right there…don't stop!"

She grabs my ass, and her head fell backwards. I quickly cover her lips with mine, as I know a scream is threatening to escape her. I swallow her mumbled screech; it mixes with my deep moan as I feel her warm liquid saturate my throbbing erection. I rip my lips away from hers, when I can no longer breathe, nor can she. My head instinctively buries in the crook of her neck as I thrust three more times, long, deep and hard. I grip her ass again, lifting her slightly as I milk myself inside her, holding her to me firmly.

"Ahhhh!" I growl into the dampness of her skin. "Bella." I chant over and over. I can barely move. I stay there, pulsing inside of her, breathing rapidly until I feel her starting to move.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Sorry? What for?"

"This couldn't have been that comfortable for you, but I had to have you. I needed you so damned much."

"I'm not sorry." She says, running both her hands through my hair. I lean into the caress and slowly slip out of her.

"I'm sorry about dinner too." I say, pulling my pants back up and buttoning my shirt. She gently stills my hands and finishes the task.

"I'm not. I think you're idea was better. We should have had it delivered."

"Really?" I chuckle. "We still can."

"Okay."

I fix her dress in the front as she hops down off the counter. I watch from behind, while she fluffs her hair and splashes water on her face. I wrap my arms around her from behind and hold her close.

"You're exquisite." I say, placing a long wet kiss to the side of her neck. "You're perfect. Everything about you is absolutely perfect. Are you ready? I'm sure someone needs to use the ladies room by now."

"Oh God yes!" She laughs. "Let's get out of here."

.

.

.

We have an eventful day ahead of us; I want to make sure that we're able to do everything I have planned. I want to take Bella to a little bakery that I love, called The Boulangerie, as well as sight-seeing, and of course to visit The Musee du Louvre. It's going to be a perfect day.

On our way there, Bella points out the silliest things. It's cute really. It's like I'm seeing Paris for the very first time. She's laughing and pointing out the littlest things.

The Eiffel Tower is amazing to experience through Bella's eyes. I can hardly explain it. It's breathtakingly beautiful. I will never forget the smile on Bella's face when she first sees it. It's the biggest smile I've seen anyone smile. It will be embedded in my memory forever. As we finish up here, I can't help but wonder what I ever did to deserve someone like Bella. I wrap my arms around her from behind, and she sinks into my embrace, resting the back of her head on my shoulder. The air is crisp and whips through her silky brown waves. I feel so overwhelmed being here with her like this. In a few short minutes I mentally relive all the events that we've gone through that have led us up to this point. _A stolen iPhone, almost yacht sex and a tossing in the pool._

I smile and kiss her neck tenderly. "Je vous aime les yeux bruns." I whisper in her ear and kiss it softly.

"You're not going to tell me what that means are you?" she states.

I laugh. "Soon, I promise."

The Musee du Louvre is next.

Bella gasps when she sees The Louvre and begins snapping pictures like she's a professional photographer.

"Oh my goodness! Edward, look at this! There are no words to describe how fascinating it is."

"I know," I say, removing my sunglasses. "I've seen it numerous times."

"Are you bored with it now?" she sounds almost disappointed.

"Of course not, but this day is all about you. I'm excited just knowing you're excited about seeing it. Shall we?" I say, holding out my hand for her to take.

Bella is hell bent on seeing the Mona Lisa first, and it's a good thing that I've been a few times or else it would have taken us most of our trip to actually locate it. There's a mob of people, but Bella doesn't seem to mind. Her excitement is a sight to behold as we navigate our way through the crowds and corridors.

Once we reach the Denon Wing, she asks a slew of questions about various art sculptures in the museum.

On our way, we come across the Winged Victory, one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world. Ever so often, she would grab and kiss me, thanking me over and over for treating her to something so amazing. I'd do it all again just to see those eyes light up.

We finally approach the Mona Lisa. It's a bit hard to get a good look at first due to all the tourists, but eventually we find a way to squeeze through and enjoy it up close. Bella, as always is awed. I think I might have seen a tear in her eye.

"She really does have a lovely smile," she sighs, completely in a daze.

"Some are lovelier than others," I answer instantly.

That wonderful blush creeps up to her cheeks, and I think my heart will stop. I intertwine our fingers and lead her down to the next hall of priceless artwork.

As we look at other masterpieces, she suddenly says, "Thank you Edward, for the best day of my life." And I have to kiss her there and then.

We arrive at the bakery and choose a table that's tucked into a quiet little corner. Our noses are assaulted with the smell of bread, butter, sugar, and coffee. It's delicious.

The waitress comes to take our orders, but the sight of Bella's gnawing lip and furrowed eyebrows lead me to believe that she has no idea what she wants, so I take the liberty of ordering for both of us.

"Êtes-vous prêt à commander?" She asks with a bright smile.

"Oui, je voudrais deux ordres de la pâte feuilletée au fromage doux et deux café à la crème et le sucre, s'il vous plaît. Merci."

"Oui, Monsieur."

"Now I feel really dumb." She says, looking at me in shock.

"You are not dumb. My business requires me to be fluent in a number of languages." I finish with a shoulder shrug.

"It sounds sexy coming from you," she says, blushing at her confession.

"Vous êtes la femme la plus sexy que j'ai jamais eu le plaisir de la pâtisserie française de partage." I smirk.

"What did you say? I know it has something to do with sex."

"I'll tell you later." I chuckle, reaching across the table lacing her fingers with mine.

"Well can you at least tell me what you ordered?" she asks curiously

"You'll see."

The waitress returns with our orders and Bella's eyes immediately sparkle. She reaches for her plate, and I quickly pull it in my direction.

"Here, allow me." I break a piece of the pastry and hold it to her lips. "Try this." She leans in and takes small taste. I smile when I see her eyes roll back in satisfaction.

"Mmmmm…Oh God …that's so…"

"Good, right?" I say, licking the sweet residue from my thumb.

"It's heaven. We have to take some home. In fact, let's get one of everything." She says, cleaning the corner of her mouth with her tongue.

"Whatever your heart desires mademoiselle." Before rising from the table, I lean over and kiss her lips, reveling in the sweet stickiness of them. "Mmmm, tastes so much better on you."

I stop at the counter and place an order for everything on the bakery menu to be delivered and waiting for Bella at her home in Florida. There is one other thing I need to take care of while it's fresh in my mind. I reach into my pocket for my phone.

"Ginger, hey it's Edward. Listen, I need for you to arrange a spa session for my…" _Fuck, what is she?_ _What do I refer to her as?_ _Is she my girlfriend?_

It seems odd to refer to Bella as my girlfriend, knowing that I'm engaged to another woman.

_You called off the wedding, remember._

I quickly thank my conscience and proceed with the plans for Bella's spa day.

"Ginger, I also need you to make an appointment for me at Cartier. Tell them I'm coming and to have their newest collection available, and it's possible that I may need something custom made. Thanks, Ginger. I'll see you soon."

I make eye contact with Bella and wink as I slide my phone back into my pocket. I wait for the cashier to finish up with my delivery order and head back over to the table.

"Miss me?"

She smiles up at me. "Always, and did you really just order everything in the bakery? I was kidding you know."

"I'm sorry, but I already did. It will be waiting in Florida on your return."

"Yeah, if Charlie doesn't devour it first."

We both laugh at the thought of him stuffing his face with French pastry.

"I have to leave you for awhile."

Her smile instantly falls. "Why? Is everything alright?" she asks with alarmed eyes.

"Everything is fine, just some uh…personal business to take care of that's all. It's nothing to worry your pretty little head about." I pick up her hand and brush my lips across the back of it." Besides, you'll be kept busy while I'm gone."

She cocks and eyebrow up at me. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing." I just set up a spa session for you and don't bother telling me no, because it's unacceptable." I say, cutting her off before she has a chance to protest.

"Yes, boss man." She answers humorously.

"Hmmm." I tap my chin. "I like it. Maybe we can engage in a little role- play later. I'll be the bossy billionaire CEO of course, and you my lovely, can be the sexy temp."

I watch in delight as she gapes at me living out my fantasy.

"I'll get you some glasses, a tight little skirt with a slit up the back and a push up bra. Oh, and black fishnets." I conclude and down the rest of my café. _Yuk cold._

"Does your secretary wear fishnets?"

"No, but this is my fantasy, indulge me a little. Anyhow, you have about twenty minutes until your session, so are you ready?"

"Yes I am, monsieur."

"Okay, after you sweetness." I say, pulling out her chair.

I drop Bella off at the spa and speed over to meet Ginger. I would have loved to bring her with me, but I want this to be a surprise for her. I know she'll love it. I smile to myself and wait for the valet to park my car. Ginger meets me at the door and escorts me into Cartier.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

Once I've been kneaded, prodded, plucked and waxed, I decide to indulge, as Edward so eloquently put it. Role-play…with Edward. _The man does know sex._

I come across this little boutique and step inside.

Anyone can tell that I'm no expert at this. I'm like a kid in a candy store, picking up everything that catches my eye. My hand comes in contact with a pair of scantily cut white lace thongs. I nearly choke when I peek at the price tag. _Come on Bella._ _How many times will you get this opportunity? _ _Live a little._

I high five my subconscious and grab one of the cute little shopping bags used for storing your items while you shop, and I toss the expensive thongs inside. I flip through the rack, searching for a matching bra.

"You know blue would be a better color for you. The contrast against your type of skin would be luminescent."

I whirl around at the sound of the voice. My eyes settle on a tall, blonde woman who's picking through lingerie as well.

"Do you really think so?" I ask, confused.

"Of course, honey if it's one thing I know, its lingerie."

"Oh, thank you. I'm kind of overwhelmed with all that they have here." I say with a wave of my hand around the store.

She nods and flings her blonde curls over her shoulder. I instantly feel like a short, teenage girl next to her. She appears to be at least five nine or ten in height. I can't be sure. The expensive heels have to be four inches. She's extremely gorgeous. The word model comes to mind as my eyes sweep over her. Her beauty makes you want to just shrivel up in a corner and die, or beat her with the ugly stick. Her crystal blue eyes have an assurance to them when she looks up at me.

"Well the trick is to know why you're buying and what to buy. Then it's all a process of elimination."

She walks around to the other side of the shelf that contains an abundance of garters. I notice that her purse matches her shoes and know right away that she's wealthy. Sophistication exudes from her.

"So, what are you looking for and why?"

"Um, I'm here with my boyfriend and I want to do something different and fun…so…yeah…" I fumble horribly over my words.

"Are you role-playing or just sexing it up a little?"

Suddenly I feel embarrassed talking about this with a stranger.

"Well he mentioned role-playing, but…"

"Then give him role-playing, but don't get the white. The blue suits you better and forget the thong, go all out. Get the G-string with matching baby-doll and garters."

I look on in utter shock as she ticks off all her lingerie tips.

"They also have the most fabulous silk nylons and don't let me get started on the heels. You're short, so go with the six-inch stilettos. Oh, and make sure they're platforms."

She's obviously a pro at this.

"A little jewelry wouldn't hurt either. You don't have height, but your skin is amazing, so work with what you have. Diamonds and sapphires against that skin would be perfect."

Twice she comments on my height. I don't know whether she's helping me or taking a cheap shot.

"Um, thanks."

"No problem." She sighs with what sounds like annoyance.

"Well I have everything I need." She smiles holding up a pair of crotchless black lace panties…and that's all. "I have a lion to tame. Au revoir."

I watch stupefied as she pays for her one item and gushes about how she's planning on seducing her fiancé. She whisks out of the boutique, leaving only a scent of expensive perfume behind.

I look down, and in my possession is the lingerie that she's shoved in my arms. I hadn't even realized I was holding them. What I have could surely pay for my winter semester's tuition and rent, but I think about him and how his eyes would light up when he sees me in this. The sex alone is a reason to consider the purchase. _Live Bella._

I sigh deeply and walk over to the counter.

While I wait for the cashier to neatly wrap my purchases in tissue paper, I notice that someone has left their credit card next to the register. _Tanya Denali._ I read silently and pick it up.

"Excuse me; someone must've left their card," I say, handing it to the cashier.

"Oh, this belongs to the lady who just left. I'll give her a call. She frequently shops here. Don't worry, I'll hold on to it until I can contact her."

"Thank you," I say, as I take my bag from her and go to hail a cab. I'll have to stop to purchase shoes on my way back to the hotel.

My phone buzzes and I smile, already knowing who's calling.

"Hey you."

**_Where are you?_**

"I'm on my way back to the hotel."

**_Hurry up. I miss you._**

"I miss you too. I'll be there soon." I end the call and can't seem to contain the silly grin that's plastered to my face. I'm sure the cab driver thinks I'm a nut job. I roll my eyes at him in the rearview mirror. I don't care who thinks what. This has turned out to be the best time of my life and nothing can ruin that.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I call Bella from the jeweler's to make sure she's on her way. There are so many things I debate over buying her, but that can wait. Right now, I need something special that will remind her of our time together here, something I know she'll cherish. I settle on a pendant of the Eifel Tower, encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. I think long and hard about what I want the inscription to say. It has to be perfect. No woman has ever made me feel the way she does. No one ever came close. Bella is the only one. I don't have the strength to fight it any longer. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

I shower quickly and call for our dinner to be delivered. I don't feel like sharing her with anyone tonight. I want it to be only us.

She walks through the door looking more beautiful than the last time I saw her, if that's possible.

I run over to relieve her of the bags that are weighing her down.

"What did you do, buy out the whole store?"

"Practically, but it's so worth it. This day has been everything I ever dreamt of. Thank you." She grabs both sides of my face and kisses me deeply.

I drag my lips from hers and nibble on her chin. "Mmmm, you taste like peaches…and honey."

She giggles.

"Thanks to your brilliant spa recommendation, this is what my whole body is going to taste like."

"Wow... I'll just have to cancel the dessert I ordered. We definitely won't be needing it." I continue my path down her neck.

"God, I'm so exhausted." She huffs, pulling away from me and flopping down on the bed. "I thought we could maybe stay in tonight and have a quiet dinner.

I follow, crawling over the top of her, kissing her all over her face.

"You thought right."

"Just let me get a shower and we can have dinner, curl up and cuddle."

"Cuddle? Yeah right." I snort as I watch her disappear behind the bathroom door.

We lay sprawled out across the bed in opposite directions, finishing up our meal.

"So, is Paris everything you though it would be?" I ask, placing a strawberry on her tongue. I smile as she makes a smacking noise around my finger.

"Are you kidding? Paris has exceeded everything I ever dreamt it would be. You have exceeded everything I ever dreamt you would be." She reaches out and runs her fingers through my hair.

"How tired are you?" I ask, jumping up from the bed.

"Um…what did you have in mind?"

"Dance with me?" I grab the remote and select something romantic and instrumental.

"What, no dirty dancing?" she asks in faux surprise, rising off the bed.

"Dirty is not the only way I know how to dance, Bella." I encircle her waist. "Although if you want it dirty, I can oblige." I switch the music to something faster, sounding almost like Salsa music. I bite down on my bottom lip, looking her directly in the eye and move my hips in time with the beat.

"Okay, enough of that, I get your point. You're great at any kind of dancing." She grabs the remote and switches back to the romantic tune.

"Are you sure because…"

"Yes, I'm sure."

I wrap my arms back around her, and she leans her forehead to my chin as we sway slowly back and forth.

I hear her gasp, and I immediately back away from her, thinking that I stepped on her tiny foot.

"I'm sorry did I hurt you? I ask, alarmed.

"No. You're wearing it."

"Huh?" I ask, confused as hell.

"My heart pendant, you're wearing it."

When it dawns on me what she's talking about, I become nervous, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yeah…is that okay? I mean it is feminine, but I want to show you how much it means that you gave it to me."

"It's more than okay," she whispers with tears pooling in her eyes.

I had Bella's charm put on a black cord so I can always wear it. The idea came to me when I was in Cartier.

I'm relieved she doesn't get all girly over me wearing it, but I feel I need to have it closer to me. I wrap my arms tighter around her and nestle my nose in the crook of her neck as we continue to dance. I feel her hands slide under the back of my shirt, and I let out a shuddering breath.

"Tell me you love me." I mumble into her neck.

"What?" she asks, pulling my head up to see my face.

"Tell me you love me." I whisper.

"I love you, Edward. So much."

I bring our foreheads together and close my eyes.

"Say it again," I say, squeezing my eyes tighter trying to stop the tears that are teasing the corners.

"I love you."

I open my eyes and see the love and sincerity in hers, and I know right away that I can't put this off any longer.

"There's something I need to tell you." I choke out.

"What?"

I've never felt afraid in my life, but this beautiful, tiny creature seems to have the power to crush my entire being.

"I don't want to lose you."

"You will never lose me. I've given my heart to you, remember? I'm yours."

"I didn't know Bella. I didn't know that I would meet you. I didn't know I would feel this way…that I _could _feel this way. It was wrong. I knew it was. I was wrong." I ramble on.

"You were wrong about what?"

I exhale roughly and brush a stray hair from her eyes.

"God, you are so beautiful. I don't deserve you."

"Edward…"

"There has never been anyone since I met you. I don't want anyone else."

"Was there someone before me?"

"Yes."

"Um…okay. What happened?"

"I told her it was over."

"Do you want her back?"

My eyes widen when I see her trembling. She thinks I'm ending this.

"What? No, Bella. I want you."

"Do…did you love her?"

"No. Never."

"Then it doesn't matter. None of it matters. I don't want to hear anymore."

"But, Bella…"

"No. Do you want her?" she says, shaking her head. I can tell she's becoming upset.

"I want only you. I can't even think about any other woman."

"Then that's the only thing that matters to me."

Cupping both sides of her face, I stare into her eyes to see if there are any regrets or doubts, and I see none.

"Stay here. I want to give you something," I say, kissing her nose.

I'm back to her as quickly as I left, with the gift I picked up for her.

"I got this for you earlier. I wanted you to have something that would always remind you of Paris…and of us."

She looks at the box like it will jump up and bite her hand off if she touches it.

"What is it?" she says in a childlike voice.

"There's only one way to find out."

She takes the box from my hand, and I wait for her reaction as she opens it. The gasp and the perfect 'O" that forms on her lips confirms that she's pleased.

"Oh…oh my God. Edward, it's perfect."

"Are you sure, because there are plenty of other things I wanted to get, but I thought you would love this more."

"I do love this. It's so beautiful."

"Um...there's an inscription on the back." I say, scratching the back of my neck.

She glances at me then back to the pendant and reads.

This is only the beginning, Brown Eyes.

"I love you, Brown Eyes."

Her head snaps up, and the look in her eyes is priceless.

"Say it again." She whispers.

I swallow hard and brush the single tear that's fallen from her eye with the pad of my thumb. My mouth opens and closes several times before I'm able to repeat the words.

"I love you."

I don't remember what happens next, but it ends up with both of us naked and immersed in one another on the bed. It's so different from before, but the same. I'm fucking her hard, but with more passion than ever before. My lips never leave hers. I want to drown in her taste. Her body is so soft and warm. I can't help but rasp out her name when she uses her feet to push on my ass, pulling me in deeper. She's acting so unlike the Bella I know, and I love it.

"Fuck me harder. Please Edward," she begs.

I untangle from her, pulling my cock out. I'm surprised I can get any harder just at the sight of her glistening juices, but apparently it's possible.

"Turn over."

She complies and I spread her legs wide with my knees. Grabbing her ass firmly, I spread her even wider and sank deeply into her.

"Oh baby." I throw my head back with a slow groan. She feels so good like this but I want the warmth back. I cover her body with my own and lace her fingers with mine. I pump my cock in and out of her, captivated with her ass as my pelvis slams against it with every thrust. If I keep this up, I'll be coming before I have a chance to really feel her. I slow my rhythm and grind slow and hard. She clenches the sheets with our hands locked together.

"Unghh, Edward."

"You like that baby?" I breathe close to her ear. "Mmmm, you feel so good." I kiss her back and her shoulders, making a path up the back of her neck. I drag my lips around the side of her cheek, capturing her lips and sucking on the bottom one gently. Unlatching one of my hands from hers, I trail it down her side and tuck it under her where she's swollen and dripping wet. I stroke my middle finger back and forth with ease.

Strokes and thrusts match up perfectly, especially when she starts grinding against my hand.

"Oh…Oh…Oh God. Oh, Edward!" She hisses and her body jerks uncontrollably. Her hand reaches underneath, trying to still mine, but I don't stop.

"Come on. One more time for me, baby. Fuck! Let it go."

"I…I…can't. Oh God!" She buries her face in the pillow. All I can hear are short, sharp, muffled shrieks.

I rise up on both hands and look down at my cock sliding in and out. That's enough to launch me into overdrive, I pound into her over and over, until I feel my stomach tighten and my orgasm threatening to burst through like a plow truck.

"Ahhhhhh! Fuck yes. I'm gonna cum so fucking hard! Oh Bella! Oh baby!" I give one hard, last thrust and collapse on her damp body, emptying my cock inside her.

"Shit baby, you feel so good, it hurts sometimes," I pant in her ear, completely spent.

"I know what you mean." She murmurs into the pillow.

"Are you trying to say that I hurt you?" I ask, stroking the side of her thigh.

"Yes, but in a good way." She sighs happily.

I pull out of her reluctantly, falling on my back and pulling her to rest on my chest. I meant what I said about staying inside of her for a lifetime. If only it were possible.

We're silent for the most part, gently caressing and humming in post coital bliss. Something dawns on me in the middle of this paradise that I feel the need to address.

"Brown Eyes?"

"Hmm."

"Are you on the pill?"

Just then, we both shoot up in bed at the sound of the door handle clicking.

"Eddie, sweetie are you here?"

_Tanya! Fuck my life! _

* * *

**_~~W~~_**

**_End Note: I know my French is way off, so I hope not to offend anyone. _****Thank you for reading and I look forward to your reviews.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

* * *

**_Disclaimer:_****_ I don't own Twilight. (It's a shame really.)_**

**_EPOV_**

_Shit! Tanya! How the hell did she know that I'm here? Better yet, how did she get in here?_

I jump up, frantically looking for my pants. My attention quickly turns to Bella, who's staring at me in complete bewilderment. She makes no attempt to move, and why should she? Unfortunately, she has no clue as to what awaits her on the other side of those doors.

"Edward?" she blinks innocently at me. "What's going on? Who is that?"

I scrub my face roughly and sink down onto the bed next to her, grasping both of her hands in mine.

"Do you trust me?"

I can see the hesitation in her eyes when she answers.

"Yes, you know I do, but…"

"Please, just believe me when I say that I never meant for any of this to happen. I love you Bella, no one else."

Placing both of her hands on the sides of my face, she responds.

"I believe you."

I turn my head to the left to kiss her palm, then to the right to kiss the other. It's crazy for me to think that she'll understand any of this, but I'll do whatever it takes to make her believe that it's her that I truly want.

"Will you stay here?" I promise I'll explain everything."

She nods. "I trust you."

Looking into her eyes as she says those three words instantly makes me want to hurl, but it doesn't stop me from kissing her one last time, lengthily and deeply.

I hurry towards the doors, but not before turning to look at her once more. She's so beautiful, all-wide eyed and wild hair flowing around her face. The black satin sheet she's clutching around her bare breasts looks exquisite against her creamy skin.

_There is no way in hell I'm going to lose her. No way in hell. _ I exhale heavily and exit the room, making sure to close the doors discreetly behind me.

I watch as Tanya, dressed in a short, belted trench coat and extremely high heels, whirls around the room lighting candles and freshening wine glasses. She's oblivious to the fact that I'm in the room. Minutes tick by before I decide to make her aware of my presence.

"How the fuck did you get in here?" my voice is venomous but low.

"Oh shit!" she gasps. "Shit, shit, shit, Edward! You scared the shit out of me!" she finishes with her eyes closed and one hand clutching her chest.

"I got that. How. The. Fuck. Did you get in here?" I keep my tone low, but the irritation is clearly still present.

She finally calms herself enough to respond.

"Oh come on. It wasn't that difficult. You _are_ my fiancé and we've visited Paris together on numerous occasions…some business…some pleasure." She says the last part with a wink. I narrow my eyes at her, confused by the statement, since we've never fucked.

"Pleasure, Tanya? Are you serious? What we had was far from pleasurable, but that's beside the point," I say, shaking my head. "Who let you in here?"

She rolls her eyes. "The hotel manager of course, he gave me a key." She waves the rectangle of plastic in front of my eyes. "Do you really think anyone could say no to Tanya Denali? I don't think even you could, Gorgeous." She slinks toward me, running her hands up my bare chest.

"No." I grip her wrists tightly. "We're over Tanya. It was a waste of your stalker skills to come all this way. My mind is made up," I finish, shoving her slightly backwards.

"What the hell is that?" she asks, referring to the thump that comes from the bedroom. _Fuck! _"Who's here with you?"

"Get the hell out of here, Tanya," I say through clenched teeth.

"Like hell I will! What skank do you have in there?" Her voice is no longer soft and her eyes blaze.

She storms past me, too fast for me to stop her and yanks the double doors open.

"You! What the fuck are _you_ doing here with my fiancé?"

* * *

**_BPOV_**

I have no idea what's going on, but a sudden wave of sickness flows through my entire body. _Is this the other woman he was trying to tell me about earlier?_

He asked me if I trust him and I do, but I'm going insane sitting in this room, waiting for him to tell me what's actually happening.

I can hear the faint sound of arguing, but can't make out what it's about. Their voices are low, but obviously angry.

_Enough of this! _I rip the covers away, swinging my feet over the edge of the bed. I get dressed, grabbing Edward's shirt from the floor and buttoning it partially. I stumble on one of the shoes that we scattered on the floor in our haste to tear each other's clothes off.

As I'm picking myself up off the floor, the doors fly open. I squint from the sudden light that's coming from the other room, and I stare in shock at the woman standing in the doorway.

"You! What the fuck are _you_ doing here with my fiancé?"

_Fiancé? Fiancé! _My eyes dart back and forth between the two of them. I'm speechless, to say the least, and unable to form a coherent word.

"You're the girl I saw earlier in Monique's…wait a minute, you said you were shopping for your boyfriend!" Her head whips around in Edward's direction, but he doesn't acknowledge her. His eyes are glued to mine.

"Tanya, get out of here, now!" he orders, never looking away from me.

_Tanya…Tanya Denali. _ I remember the credit card she left in the boutique. Everything comes flooding back in that moment. _Crotchless panties…I have a lion to tame. _

My hand shoots to my mouth, while I look at Edward wide-eyed, shaking my head back and forth.

"Bella…." He steps closer to me.

"Fiancé." I whisper to myself, but still looking at him.

"You're goddamn right, fiancé! We're getting married in a month!"

My eyes swing to hers. "A month." I repeat in another whisper.

"Shut up, Tanya! Edward yells. "You need to leave, _now_!"

"Oh, I'm not going any fucking where! If there is anyone one leaving, you can sure as hell bet it won't be me," she concludes with a flop onto the very bed we just had sex in.

I stand there motionless and look at the floor, trying to process what the hell just happened. Tanya and Edward continue to argue back and forth about who's leaving. It sounds like I'm going through a tunnel and my vision feels the same. My heart rate accelerates, and I'm starting to hyperventilate. I'm going to be sick…throw up is more like it.

"Oh my God…I'm going to be sick." I mumble through my hand. I dash past them and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Luckily, I just make it to the toilet. I empty the contents of my stomach in one huge retch.

I feel a bit feverish, but better after a few minutes. Edward is banging on the door, begging me to let him in.

"Bella, baby, are you okay?"

I flush the toilet and slowly rise to my feet. Grabbing the hand towel from the rack, I run some warm water on it and dab at my face. I cup my hands together and fill them in an attempt to rinse my mouth.

"Bella? Please, I'm getting freaked out. Please say something."

I reach behind me and turn the doorknob. He briskly steps, in shutting the door. I'm sure to keep things private from Tanya.

"Baby, are you alright?" He cups my face and bends his knees so he can look directly into my eyes.

"Is it true Edward?" The tears have already started to fall because I know the answer. I want him to tell me I'm wrong. I want him to tell me that she's lying, but the look in his eyes confirms everything.

"I love you Bella." He croaks out.

"That's not what I asked." I place my hands over his that are still cradling my face. "Tell me it's a lie and I swear I'll get her out of here myself. Just tell me," I plead.

One of his thumbs brushes away a tear that's trickling down my cheekbone.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Bella."

"No!" I shake my head violently.

"It's …true." his voice breaks.

"No!" I scream. "It can't be true. You love me! You said it! You finally said it!" I gesture, placing my hand on my chest roughly.

"I do, baby…I do love you! You're the only one I've ever loved."

"But you're _engaged_!"

"Bella, please listen to me…." His voice is so desperate, but I can't listen to anything he has to say.

"No! No, no, no, no! I can't breathe. I've got to get out of here." I push him in the chest and rip the bathroom door open, only to be met with her glaring at me, still sitting on the bed and filing her nails.

"You need to leave. My fiancé and I have things to discuss."

I reach for my jeans and slip them on without a moment's hesitation, not bothering to put on my shoes. I simply tuck them and my purse under my arm and make to leave. I stop at the door to address her one final time.

"He's all yours." And with that, I slam the door. I hear Edward yelling my name through the door, but I don't wait. I walk hurriedly to the elevator. He finally catches up with me, begging me to listen.

"Bella, please don't go. I want to explain things."

I turn to face him, tears flowing freely now.

"I think you need to explain to your fiancée why you just fucked another woman, and since you obviously have no ties to me, you owe me nothing." I conclude, turning my back. "Don't follow me." I continue down the hall to the elevator. He doesn't follow.

.

.

.

After riding around in a cab for nearly two hours, the driver finally articulates that he's going off duty in the next ten minutes, and that I need to choose a destination. I have him drop me off at the worst place possible. I'm standing right outside the Parc du Champ de Mars. The temperature has dropped considerably, and I'm freezing. I'm still in Edward's shirt, and I instantly regret it. As hard as I try, I can't resist pulling the collar to my nose and inhaling his scent. I wrap my arms around myself, imagining it's him and never want to let go. Looking up, my eyes embrace the monumental statue that towers at an amazing height above me. It's a work of art and the most beautiful thing I have come to lay eyes on. I quickly unhook my mini replica from around my neck and stare at it through blurry eyes. The stones sparkle from the way the streetlights bounce off them. I turn it over to read the engraved inscription again**. **_This is only the beginning Brown Eyes._

"Damn you, Edward!" I ball my fist, with the pendant nestled in the palm of my hand, as a fresh batch of tears spill over. I sink down onto the grass, sobbing uncontrollably. I'm broken.

.

.

.

I don't know how long I've been here. It feels like forever, but I'm sure it hasn't been that long. A really nice Frenchman seems concerned about the state I'm in. I can barely understand him, but he has kind eyes, and he looks like he feels sorry for me. I must look pathetic.

After convincing him that I'm not hurt, and that I'm American and don't speak French, he hails another cab for me. I thank him for his kindness.

Eventually, I get up enough nerve to return to the hotel. I need to pack my things. The concierge helps me to secure a flight for first thing in the morning. It costs me all the money I have left, and that's fine with me. Under no circumstance am I staying in Paris another day.

.

.

.

Stepping off the elevator, the hallway to the suite we share seems a thousand miles away. I inhale and exhale sharply, making my way to the door. Before I have the chance to see if I've even remembered to take a key, the door swings open. Edward is standing there with wild eyes and even wilder hair. He looks like he's aged in the last couple of hours.

"Oh thank God! I was going crazy!" He grabs me in a huge hug. My arms remain limp at my sides. I can't return his affection, no matter how badly my body screams for me to do so.

"You're freezing. Where have you been? You didn't answer any of my calls."

"I didn't have my phone," I reply dryly and push away from him, stepping into the room.

I walk over to the armoire and start yanking my clothing from it.

"What are you doing?" he asks, confused.

I don't answer. Instead, I reach for my suitcase and toss it on the bed, unzip it and pile my things inside.

"Bella?"

I continue to ignore him, stalking to the bathroom and grabbing my toiletries. He's behind me in a flash.

"Wait…you can't leave." His voice is full of panic.

"Who's going to stop me?" I snatch items from the vanity.

"Me, Goddamn it! Will you stop that for a second?" he spins me around to face him. "We need to talk about this."

"I have nothing to say to you about anything. You're a liar, a manipulator and a borderline bigot." _ So much for nothing to say! _"I want nothing to do with you."

"Okay…I deserve that, but at least give me the chance to explain everything to you. Please, Bella."

"Let go of me, Edward. I'm getting out of here first thing in the morning, and if you're smart, you'll stay out of my way."

"I'm not letting you leave me Isabella Swan...not now…not ever. I love you, and I can fix this, just give me a chance. Please? You don't have to say anything, just listen."

"Where's Tanya?" I say sarcastically, quickly changing the subject.

"She's gone. Forget her."

I throw my head back, laughing maniacally. "I don't think I can ever forget her with her damned crotchless panties that were meant for _you_! You were fucking both of us!"

"What? No! Bella, no! That's not how it was at all. Baby, I never touched another woman since I found you…not even her."

I wrench away from him and blink at him a few times before speaking again.

"Oh please, Edward. She's your fiancée. Are you going to continue lying to me about this?"

He lowers his head, running his hand through it halfway and gripping the vibrant copper strands.

"No… I'm not going to lie to you anymore. I hated keeping this from you, but you're wrong. I haven't touched or even seen Tanya since you and I started being intimate."

I look at him as if he's crazy. "Intimate? We fucked! Don't try to be all gentlemanly now. Call it like it is," I say, poking him in the chest with my index finger. "And I guess you're right, since we didn't start _fucking_ until we were both in Florida. I doubt you've had time to fuck us both."

"Will you just listen to me, please?"

"I don't want to listen to you. I don't want to be here in this room with you another second! I'm not staying here tonight, and tomorrow I'll be on my way back to Florida."

His eyes widen in horror. "What? What do you mean you're not staying here tonight? Where will you go? Bella don't do this…please, I'm sorry…I can fix this…please?" he grasps my face with his large hands.

I shake out of his grasp and push past, him gathering the last of my belongings.

"We are not some broken toy or car that can be fixed, Edward. You destroyed us. You destroyed everything! All I want to do is get out of here, far away from this." I wave my hand around the room. "Far away from you."

"Okay, okay, will you just stop packing? I'll leave."

I stop and look up at him. "Don't be ridiculous. This is your room."

"Then I'll get you your own room, just let me call downstairs."

He fishes his phone out of his pocket and dials.

"No! I don't want you paying for me," I spit, snatching his phone. "I don't need, nor do I want your money."

"Bella, I'm not letting you leave without anywhere to stay. I will wrestle you to this very floor if you try."

Anger doesn't even cover what I'm feeling at this moment, but I know he'll keep true to his word if I don't comply with either one of his offers, so I do.

"Fine…you can get me another room because I'll be damned if I stay in this one."

He simply nods.

The look on his face is one of hurt and dejection. Strangely, I feel horrible because a part of me knows that he's indeed sorry.

I finish packing up everything and realize that I have more than I initially thought. I've bought a few souvenirs and other items to take home with me. Now, with more bags than I can handle on my own, I call down to the lobby to have a bellman assist with my move to another room. It doesn't take long before he's knocking at the door. I rush to let him in.

"Bonsoir, mademoiselle, I have the key to your new room. Are you all set?"

"Yes, pretty much. Just give me a minute."

Edward watches as I clear the room of everything that belongs to me, but there's one thing I've forgotten to do.

"Here" I walk over to him with my hand stretched out. When it dawns on him what I'm handing him, his temper flares.

"I don't want that," he says, holding his palms up in front of him. "I had it made for you and I meant what I said in that inscription. I'm not taking it back."

I look at the pendant one last time and toss it. I don't stay long enough to see where it lands. It's done…we're done.

.

.

.

**_Back in Florida_**

Three days, four hours, seventeen minutes, twelve seconds; and counting. This is how long it's been since I left Paris and Edward. Frankly, I'm surprised that he's respected my wishes to stay away, but he keeps calling me relentlessly and leaving messages about not giving up on us. And yes, I'm keeping track like an idiot. I stare out of the window, forgetting all about the fact that I'm actually at work, until Jessica snaps her fingers in front of my eyes.

"If you came here to daydream, maybe you should have stayed home." She states with a scowl.

"I think maybe you're right." I reply with a huff.

I walk away from the counter, with Jessica staring at me like she wants to say '_Bitch you have some nerve'._

With a swipe of my time card, I leave Starbucks without a second thought. It's my last day of work anyway. School's starting up in another week, and I'm leaving Florida in the next couple of days. I want the rest of the time I have left to spend with Charlie. I haven't told him anything about what happened in Paris…well not about breaking up with Edward and him being engaged. All I told him were a bunch of lies. I don't feel like being babied and looked at as if I'm pathetic. I've decided not to call Angela either, although I really need a shoulder to cry on. No doubt in the state she's in, she'd have jumped back on a plane and ripped his dick off with her bare hands. The thought makes me smile a little, albeit short-lived. It's probably one of the few times I'm not crying, this and when I agree to see Jake before I leave town.

Jake is a good friend…the best, but I know he wants more, although he doesn't say anything.

We decide to take the dogs to the beach and just chill, and he allows me to go on and on about Edward.

"He's an asshole Bella. I know I sound like I hate the guy, and believe me I do. I hate him for hurting you like that. You deserve better," he says, looking far out into the ocean.

"He was better." I say in a voice so low that I don't think he hears.

I know he's getting angry. The way his veins are straining in his forearm is a dead giveaway.

"How can you defend him? Are you so far gone that you can no longer tell right from wrong?"

The agitation in his voice, along with his words, hit close to home…a little to close for my liking.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." I rise from the sand. He jumps up and reaches out to grab my arm, keeping me close.

"Bella I'm not trying to upset you. I'm only trying to make you see that you could have so much more." I see him swallow hard. "I'm trying to make you see what's right in front of you." He reaches up to stroke my cheek gently.

My face instantly flames. "Jake I…" Before I know what's happening, his lips are on mine, kissing me passionately. He's putting everything into this kiss, but all I do is think of how wrong this is. He lets out a low moan that vibrates against my lips, and his hands thread into my hair. _No, no, no. This is so wrong. _

I whimper when his enormous hand molds into the back of my head, securing my lips tightly to his. He must mistake this as me wanting him to deepen the kiss.

"Bella," he murmurs with our lips still attached.

I push lightly against his muscular chest, and he reluctantly releases my lips.

"I think it's getting time for me to go."

"Bella…you don't have to run away…I won't hurt you."

"I know that!" I snap.

"It's just getting late and I promised my dad we would have dinner together tonight."

"Okay. I'll drive you home."

"That's okay. I can walk."

"I know you can, but you're not and don't bother arguing."

.

.

.

I convince Jake to drop me off at the park across from Starbucks. My truck is already there so he doesn't protest too much.

"Listen…Bella about the kiss…" he starts as he walks me to my truck.

"Forget it. It's fine. It was no big deal."

He looks a little hurt at my admission and elaborates.

"I'll never forget it."

"It was wrong Jake. It shouldn't have happened."

"How could something wrong feel so perfect? I know you felt it too, Bella."

"Jake… I'm leaving for Chicago the day after tomorrow."

"Are you telling me that is the only thing stopping this?" He brushes the pad of his thumb across my lips. "God, I want to kiss you again," he says with his eyes lowered to my lips.

"Take your hands off of her, or I'll break your neck!"

* * *

**_EPOV_**

It's been days since she left me in Paris, and I haven't talked to Bella. She's refused to return any of my calls. I've tried to give her some space, but I'm going stir crazy without her. _She's delusional if she thinks I'm just going to scamper away with my tail between my legs. She doesn't know whom she's dealing with._

Deciding I've had enough of her blatant attempts to ignore me, I hop into my car and head over to Starbucks where she works. I'm not sure if she's at work or not, but at this time of day, the odds are that she's there.

I can appreciate the fact that she's angry, and that she despises me right now, but she hasn't heard me out, and I know once I explain everything to her that we'll begin to fix what I've broken.

Bella is the first woman I've ever loved. I can't believe she has me this open. I've vowed that if she forgives me, that I'll spend the rest of my life being honest and loving her the way she deserves. I just have to get her to listen to me.

When I pull up to the park, I see that guy with his hands all over her. They are so engrossed in each other that they don't me approaching. _Why is she letting him touch her like that? She's mine!_

"Take your hands off of her, or I'll break your neck!"

Bella gasps and jumps away from him like she's just been electrocuted.

"Edward!" What are you doing…"

"Touch her again and things are gonna get rough." I shove him in the chest and away from Bella. He stumbles a little, but regains his footing.

"Touch _me _again and rough will be the least of your problems, pretty boy." He steps forward again, this time in my direction.

I glare at him, letting him know that I'll choke him half to death if he takes one more step.

"Edward, have you lost your mind! You can't go around shov…"

"We need to talk." I turn my attention to Bella, stopping her in mid- sentence.

"I told you Edward, we have nothing left to say."

"Yeah, I heard you loud and clear in Paris, and now I'm taking matters into my own hands." I grab her by the arm and pull her with me, toward the park across the street.

"Hey! Stop man-handling her like she's one of your play things!"

I spin around and step right up into his face.

"Look, I'm only going to tell you this once, so let's see how well you pay attention. Bella is mine and it would be in your best interest to stay out of what doesn't concern you," I breathe harshly.

"And if I don't?" he asks with flaring nostrils.

One side of my mouth quirks up. "Don't fucking push me." I sneer.

"Bella? If you don't want to talk to this guy, just say the word." He disregards me, but doesn't look away.

"Fuck this." I lunge for his throat, but Bella screams my name and grabs me with all the strength her tiny body can muster.

"Edward, don't! You're right; we do need to talk. Jake, it's okay."

"Are you sure Bella?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Just give me a moment."

She grabs me by the arm and leads me over to the park. I'm still scowling at him over my shoulder as we walk away.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you. You are the biggest bully I have ever met. Who do you think you are, spying on me and harassing my friends? Edward Cullen, you need therapy. I have nev…"

I grip her face and smash my lips to hers to stop her insane ranting. _Shit I've missed these lips so fucking much!_

She shoves me backwards roughly, making her hair whip around her red tinged cheeks. _Beautiful!_

"You're crazy!" She pants heavily.

"I'm crazy about you."

"You have three minutes, Edward." She ignores my reply, but I know she heard me.

"I love you." I start.

"And counting." She replies, ignoring me again.

"Bella, come on! Three minutes? That's not nearly enough time. I need a lifetime."

"You should've thought about that before you lied. Contrary to what you might believe, Edward I would never have given you the time of day had you told me about Tanya from the beginning."

"Then I'm glad I didn't tell you."

"And that concludes this conversation." She turns to walk away. I reach out in a flash to stop her.

"Get over yourself, Bella. You wanted me just as much as I wanted you. This thing between you and me was destined to happen…Tanya or no Tanya."

"My God! You know, you have some ego, Edward Cullen! You said you need to talk to me, and all you've done is make me feel worse for even giving you a chance in the first place. I'm done!"

"Wait! Fuck! Bella, I know I fucked up. Seeing you here with him just…ahhhh!" I yell, gripping roughly on my hair. "I can't take seeing you with anyone other than me! I can't concentrate with him over there, watching like a hawk."

She looks at me, shaking her head back and forth. "He's a friend, not that I owe you any explanation. Unlike me, I wasn't a friend, I was a mistress."

I sigh and mumble to myself, "You were never that to me,"

"Edward, I have to leave and besides, your three minutes expired a long time ago."

"Okay, listen, just meet me at my place later tonight so we can talk in private…please?"

"I'll think about it." She answers hesitantly.

"Bella, please?"

"I don't know, Edward…I don't trust you."

"I promise, all I want to do is explain things to you. Please give me the chance, Brown Eyes." I reach out, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear.

Something in her eyes changes and they soften. She bites the corner of her bottom lip, and I know that's all it takes. _Everything will be back to the way it was...tonight._

Just then, he takes the opportunity to interrupt, but it doesn't matter. Bella's going to come over so we can work things out. I know it.

"Bella, is everything alright?"

We're staring into each other's eyes, completely lost in each other until she breaks contact first.

"I'm fine." She replies in a hoarse voice. She clears her throat once and pulls away from me. "I'll call you later." She says, looking at me.

I nod and lean down to leave a lingering kiss on her forehead, while staring directly at him.

"Remember what I said." I address him in a calm voice.

"You're paranoid…I wonder why?" he says with a sly smile.

"I'm not concerned about you. She knows that I'm the only one who can give her what she needs…in and out of bed. You can bet your infant sized T-shirt on that."

I wink at Bella who's gaping like a codfish, then slip on my sunglasses and hop into my car. I tear off down the street. _She's mine._

* * *

**_JPOV_**

_What a fucking asshole!_

"How in the hell can you be with someone like that? The way he treats you like a piece of real estate is disrespectful. I should've smashed his face in!"

"Being cocky is Edward's defense mechanism. When he feels scared or cornered, his mood changes." She comments nonchalantly.

"And you're still defending and making excuses for him," I snap.

I help her up into her truck and stare at her, leaning inside the window with my arms crossed on the frame.

"Are you going to see him tonight?"

"I'm not sure. Things are complicated and a little volatile right now."

"Do you think…"

"He won't hurt me…not physically anyway," she interjects. "I'll be fine."

"Will you call me if you're not…fine?"

"Of course I will."

I step back, away from her truck and watch until she disappears.

_I want her to be mine. There's no doubt about it any longer. I'm in love with her, and I want her to love me too; but I won't force it like he does. I'll wait until she sees that I'm better for her. I don't care how long it takes. In time she'll realize that I'm better for her._

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I sprint into the beach house and start rummaging through the fridge for something quick and easy to cook for dinner. _Ham and cheese. Bella loves this._

I slice up the loaf of Focaccia for the sandwiches, along with mango, pineapple and kiwi that I place on a saucer and sit it in the fridge. My eyes dart back and forth between the bottle of wine I have in my hand and the champagne bucket. I decide to take the wine upstairs to chill, because that is where I plan on ending up with Bella tonight. _It's been three days for fuck's sake._

After checking my watch, I go upstairs to shower and change. _Jeans and a plain white T-shirt. Simple._

I emerge from the shower, dress and pour myself a glass of brandy.

I check my watch_. 7:30._

I sink down on the bed and look at the pendant I gave Bella that's on my nightstand. I remember how incredibly sexy she looked wearing it and nothing else. The diamonds and sapphires glittered and sparkled against her skin_._ I smile, reaching for it and hold it up, watching it swing back and forth.

As I swallow the contents of my glass, I think about Bella some more. I refill my glass with another brandy and recline back on the pillows.

I check my watch. _7:40__**.**_

_Bella. _

She'll be here soon, and we'll make love in this very spot that I am lying in now. I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. She'll never leave me again.

_9:28__**. **__ Fuck! I must've fallen asleep._

I look around the room and realize she isn't here._ Shit, where is she?_

I rise from the bed and walk out onto the balcony and pour another glass. This time the choice is vodka. I down it in one swallow and wince at the burning sensation it leaves in my throat.

_9:40 _

Another drink.

_9:50_

One more. Another. And another.

_l0:20 _

I'm officially smashed and getting worse by the minute, still waiting for Bella to show up. _She'll come...she has to._

_She knows that I love her. I'll explain all of this mess to her, and she'll forgive me._

She's wrong to say that I want her to be my mistress. She's so much more than that. _Why can't she see that?_ I want her and only her. She's everything. _My Brown eyes. _ I need her like I need air to breathe.

_I'll show her. I'll convince her, all she has to do is show up._

_There'll be no words. She'll be in my arms the minute she walks through that door and in my bed screaming my name seconds after. I'll bury my cock so deep inside of her, she'll forget all about what happened with Tanya and that Jake character. I'll make her come so hard over and over that she'll never want to leave._

I toss back the rest of the vodka and revel in the warmth throughout my chest. _Warm. Warm, like Bella's tongue as it mingles and slides against mine. Warm, like her hands when she grabs onto my ass while I thrust in and out of her. Warm, like the walls that squeeze like a vice as they milk me, over and over._

I stand out on the balcony and stare at my watch then back at the empty glass. _Fucking shot glasses._

I drop the glass over the railing and watch as the water splashes up from the pool when it hits. _Where's the damned bottle?_

Stumbling slightly, I reenter the bedroom and grab the bottle, turning it up to my mouth and chugging on it.

The living room door slams, and I whirl around, falling over the edge of the bed in my inebriated state. I'm drunk, but I don't give a fuck. Bella's here. _ She came._ I smile to myself.

"Bellaa? Baby?" I call out. My words sound a bit slurred. I right my footing and reach for the doorknob to greet her as I hear footsteps approaching.

"Brown Eyes?"

I swing open the door and my face among other things instantly fall limp.

"Sorry, Edward, but my eyes are blue."

"James isn't here, Victoria."

"I knew that as soon as I noticed that his car isn't in the driveway."

"Then why the fuck did you come in?" I say, heading back to the balcony, grabbing the bottle once again.

"Your door was left wide open, moron. I wanted to be sure you weren't robbed and murdered."

"Now you've seen that I'm not, so leave."

"You're drunk."

"And you're a goddamned genius," I say, taking a huge swig. "Ahhhh." I growl and look at my watch again. _l0:45. _

"Let me guess, you're waiting for _Brown Eyes?"_ she says humorously.

I don't answer. I continue drinking and check my watch diligently.

_l0:48…Fuck!_

"Well, it looks to me like your little ragdoll isn't going to show up."

"Don't you fucking talk about her!" I jerk around and glare at her.

"Hey, don't bite my head off." She holds her hands up in front of her. "Maybe I could make a little of your pain disappear."

"Get the fuck out of here, Victoria!"

"Aww, come on, Eddie, we used to be good together…damned good." She stalks slowly in my direction, her hips swaying.

"Are you insane or just a whore? You're fucking my brother. This is sick…even for you, Vic." I shake my head at her in disgust.

"Don't get me wrong, Eddie, your brother is epic in bed, but he doesn't pump his cock in and out the way you do. There's no bullshit when you fuck. You just…fuck," she concludes, palming my denim covered cock and stroking it gently.

"I'm not fucking you with a ten foot dick, Victoria." I swipe her hand away roughly. "Now get out of here, or I'll throw you out."

She continues massaging me through my jeans.

"Who said anything about fucking?" she retorts in a sickeningly sweet tone.

She sinks to the floor and makes quick work of my button and zipper. I didn't bother putting on boxers, assuming I wouldn't be in clothing for any period of time, once Bella arrives.

She yanks my jeans down roughly, and when my cock springs forward, she grips it in her hand and engulfs it in her mouth, sucking and bobbing furiously.

"Sssss…. Shit!" I wince at her abrasiveness.

"Mmmm." She hums around my erection, and I grab her hair roughly with the hand that isn't clenching the wine bottle.

I'm hurt and angry that Bella hasn't showed up. I want to be with her. I want Bella, not this.

"Stop." I order through clenched teeth.

"Mmmmm." She hums once more.

"Stop!" I yell and shove her by her shoulders, sending her falling back on her ass.

"You're a no good fucking whore, and you aren't worth the come I would have spilled down your throat. Now, Get. The. Fuck. Out…before I have you arrested for trespassing as well as breaking and entering."

"You're an idiot, Edward! And you're wasting your time on that girl. I know your parents wouldn't approve of this relationship. They would ruin her and disown you if they found out, not to mention what Tanya would do."

"And who's going to tell them...you?" I say, while pulling up my pants and backing her into the corner.

She bumps her head in the process of trying to distance herself from me.

"Don't you ever threaten me, Victoria, or else that piece of shit you and your family call a company, will be nothing but rubble by tomorrow morning. Now leave!"

She flinches at my last words and scurries down the staircase like a frightened little mouse.

I tuck my semi-hard dick back in my jeans and feel sick at what almost transpired.

"Fuck!" I yell, hurling the wine bottle and watching it shatter to pieces as streams of red trickle down the wall. I fall back against the door and slide down it with my head hanging between my knees.

"Bellaaaaaa!" I sob loudly, pulling violently at my hair, so hard it should hurt. Oddly, I feel nothing…nothing except emptiness. My hand reaches up to my neck, and I yank on the black cord until it pops off my neck.

The moonlight streaming through the door reflects off the heart pendant. I crush it in my palm and silently promise never to let it go.

"I love you, Brown Eyes. Always, only you."

Tears continue streaming down my face. For the first time in my life, my heart has been broken.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**_Poor Baby….Ok now do your thing guys. See you soon_**


	18. Chap 18,Turn About is Fair PlayRight?

**Chapter 18: Chapter 18**

* * *

**_Disclaimer:_****_ I don't own Twilight._**

**_EPOV_**

"No. " No fucking way!" _It can't be over. It can't end like this. We're just starting._

I reach into my pocket for my phone. I need to hear her voice. I need to tell her that it was all an arrangement and that Tanya means nothing to me.

_Please answer, Brown Eyes._

"Bella?"

"Edward, I don't want you ever calling me again!"

'Brown Eyes pl…"

"Don't call me that! Don't you ever fucking call me that!"

"I need you! I get it, okay. I know I was wrong! I need you so much."

"To me, the only thing you looked like you needed was that bitch's mouth wrapped around your dick! You make me sick!"

_Fuck...fuck! She was here!_

"Fuck!"

_Oh God! What the fuck am I going to do now?_

* * *

**_BPOV_**

_That son of a bitch!_

"Son of a bitch!" I scream, fall face first into my pillow and bawl.

_I can't believe I was so stupid! To think I that I actually gave him the chance to wreck me again! How could he do that to me? Did he intentionally want to hurt me again?_

**_Flashback_**

I sit in my truck, confused as to whether I should do this or not. Obviously, I'm not _that _confused since I'm sitting in front of his beach house, willing to give him the chance to explain. _I love him. I love him so much it hurts._

I take a deep breath, climb out and walk up to the door. I knock once before it opens slightly. I open it wider and cautiously peek around the frame.

"Edward?"

No answer. I enter and call out to him again.

"Edward? Are you here?"

Still no answer. _Maybe he's in the shower._

I start up the stairs slowly then swiftly run up the rest. I can hear faint moans followed by Edward's voice.

"Stop!"

As I peer around the top of the staircase, I see him. His pants are down, and she's on the floor in front of him.

My eyes widen in shock. _He knew I was coming! He wanted me to see this!_

Clamping my hand over my mouth, I run back down the stairs. I hear him shouting, but can't make out what he's saying. I don't want to know. I want to forget I ever met Edward Cullen. I keep running until I'm out of that house and on my way to wherever he isn't.

**_End of Flashback_**

After cursing Edward and imagining sticking a thousand pins into a little doll with spiky, copper-colored hair, I realize that Edward and I were never meant to be. I think back to all the times we spent together and all of our impromptu run-ins. Things were always difficult and on edge. It never flowed smoothly. Most of our time was either spent fighting or having sex.

_But you love him, and it wasn't all bad._

I shake my head and grip my hair hard, trying to shut off my stupid brain, but it doesn't do any good.

_You love the way he kisses you. When he's being playful, you can feel his lopsided grin against your lips as he teases you. And when he's serious, that kiss weakens every part of you …He loves you. You know that he does._

"Shut up, shut up, _shut up_! He didn't even want to kiss me!"

I feel like I'm going insane. "Goddamn you, Edward Cullen!"

"Whoa. Edward's in the dog house, huh?"

I sit up and shake my head, looking at my dad.

"We've just had a disagreement," I lie and quickly wipe my tearstained face before Charlie can notice.

"You want me to shoot him?"

"Will you get away with it?" I retort promptly.

"Probably not. You want to have some dinner before I go in? I have a couple of hours."

"Will you promise not to talk about Edward?"

"Scout's honor," He says, holding up three fingers.

"Dad." I whine.

'Okay fine." He drops a finger.

I roll my eyes and hop off the bed. "So, what's for dinner?"

.

.

.

"Jesus kid. When was the last time you ate?"

I stop mid-chew and blink at him in confusion. "Why?" I ask with my mouth full.

"I've just never seen you scarf down food like that; let alone red meat. I'd have gotten you one of those grass or weed burgers you like so much."

"Garden burger, Dad," I mumble and keep stuffing my face. "Besides, I like cheeseburgers and other foods too?"

"Since when?" He cocks an eyebrow.

_Since Edward started cooking all those yummy meals for you._

"Shut up." I mumble to myself.

He raises his other eyebrow in curiosity.

"Not you, Dad. I was…forget it."

"Are you okay? Are you sure there isn't anything you want to talk about?" he asks, taking a sip of his soda.

"I'm good." I grab my chocolate milkshake and take a sip as well.

"Well, if you change your mind."

"I'll let you know." I finish.

There's a moment of silence before he picks the conversation back up.

"So, last year of school, huh? Are you excited about graduating?"

"Yes, finally."

"You going to open your very own animal clinic?"

"If only it were that simple, Dad."

His mood changes from playful to serious in a blink of an eye.

"Bella, I don't have much money, but everything I have is for you. It's what your mother and I both wanted. We wanted you to fulfill every dream you've ever had. I know once you graduate that it's only the beginning. I know you have to go to vet school and it's expensive…"

"Dad…"

"Listen, all I'm saying is, I don't want you to worry about money or tuition. I'm going to make sure your mother's wishes …along with yours, are lived out. Do you understand?"

I nod.

"I hope I can make you both proud."

"You had that covered the day you were born kid." He ruffles the top of my head. "I have to get ready to go. Make sure you lock up and bring the killer in. There's supposed to be a terrible storm coming in."

"Sadie's not a killer," I say in mock anger.

"I was being sarcastic," he whispers. "Maybe you should call that boyfriend of yours over to keep you company in this storm. I would rather you not be alone."

"You promised."

"Okay, fine. I'll check in on you from time to time," he yells before heading out of the door.

"Well, Sadie, it looks like it's just you and me tonight."

She looks at me, head cocked to one side like I'm nuts.

_I am nuts Sadie._

"Completely and utterly nuts."

* * *

**_EPOV_**_)_

The buzzing of my phone wakes me.

"Mmmmmm." I groan.

I hope in vain that the noise will stop_._

"Mmmmm. Fuck off!" I yell and smother the pillow over my head.

I try to ignore the consistent buzzing, but it continues. Whoever the fuck is ringing is not going to give up. _Maybe it's her._

I shoot up in bed and lunge for my phone, knocking the lamp off the nightstand in the process.

"Brown Eyes?" I answer hurriedly.

"Edward Masen Cullen!"

_Oh fuck._

"Mom." I flop back down on the bed and groan into the pillow.

"Don't you Mom me. I just spoke to Tanya, and I cannot believe what she just told me."

"Fuck…not now, Mom."

"You watch your language! Is it true what Tanya told me?"

"Oh I'm sure there were some exaggerations thrown in, but if you're talking about me calling off the wedding, then that part is true."

"Have you lost your mind, Edward? Tanya also told me something about you being in Paris with another woman. Is this also true?"

I'm not about to get into this conversation with her over the phone and besides; I have a hangover and need a shower. This argument will have to wait until I get back to Chicago.

"Look Mom, I don't know what Tanya told you, but I will discuss it with you when I get home in a few days. Bye."

"Don't you dare dismiss me, Edward Cullen."

"I'll call you later, Mom."

I end the call with a groan. "My head." I open one eye and notice that it's getting dark outside. _ Where the hell has the day gone?_

I drag myself out of bed and cringe at the ache in my limbs and back. My head's pounding as I make it to the bathroom. Once I've relieved myself, I turn the shower on. Steam quickly fills the room, and I waste no time getting under the spray. I stand under the hot water for minutes before I start to wash away part of my hangover. I'm feeling fifty percent better in no time, but my heart is still crushed. _Bella._

I get out of the shower and stand in front of the mirror to shave. I clear the steam off the mirror with a towel and zero in on the huge shiner I'm sporting.

_What the fuck? When did this happen?_

My hand goes up to my eye and the memories come flooding back.

**_Flashback_**

"Open this fucking door! Bella!"

"Bella! I'm not fucking leaving until you come out and talk to me!"

I bang on the door until he finally snatches it open.

"I knew you were fucking mental…. Stop banging on my fucking door or I'll kick the shit out of you!"

"Where's Bella?"

"What? Get the hell outta here, _now_! It's your last warning." He says through gritted teeth.

"Bella!" I push past him into his house.

"Take one more step, and I'll beat you senseless," he breathes harshly, grabbing me around the collar.

"Get the fuck off me!" I yell, slamming him up against the wall. "You're fucking her, aren't you?"

"What if I am?" he says, smirking at me.

My eyes widen at his arrogance, and I completely snap.

"I'll fucking kill you!" I roar, tearing him away from the wall and throwing him into the glass table in the middle of the floor. He jumps up as if it doesn't have any effect on him and lunges for my midsection, knocking me off my feet.

"You don't deserve her!"

He sits on top of me, pinning my shoulders down and swings at my face. His fist connects and something inside me becomes unhinged. I reach up, grabbing him by the throat and squeeze until his fist stops flying. I swing with my other fist, catching him in the jaw. He falls over onto to his back, and I scramble to my feet and kick him in the midsection once, twice, three times.

He coughs over and over gasping for air.

I stumble over to the door and pause before stepping out.

"Stay away from her!" I rasp, out of breath.

**_End of flashback_**

"Shit."

* * *

**_BPOV_**

I'm stretched out on the sofa, watching The Notebook when there's a crack of lightening, and then everything in the house goes black. I'm in complete darkness.

"Great!"

I get up and feel my way around until I reach the kitchen. Charlie has stashed flashlights in the house for emergencies such as these. I keep feeling my way around until I locate the right draw and retrieve the flashlight. I turned it on and decide to have some ice cream in the meantime. I get myself some Edy's cookie dough and find my back to the couch to wait out the storm.

"This sucks."

I'm not referring to the ice cream, but to the storm that's crippling the entire town. I hear what sounds like a knock on the door. I listen carefully, thinking that it may just be a branch tapping against a window or something, but I can clearly hear it again.

_Who the hell in their right mind is out in this weather?_

The knock sounds again, more impatiently this time.

"I'm coming! Sheesh."

I approach the door and grab the baseball bat Charlie leaves there for occasions such as these. One can never be too certain about who may be out for no good on a night like this. I try looking through the peephole, but can't see a thing.

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

I rip open the door ready to attack…verbally, of course.

"I told you to leave me alone. Why are you…what happened to your face?"

"It was a business arrangement," he says, standing in the doorway, drenched from head to toe. His hair is completely flattened to his head, and he's shivering uncontrollably.

"What was a business arrangement? What happened to your eye, Edward?"

"We were supposed to get married to secure our parents companies. I never thought anyone would ever want me for myself, so I agreed." He looks past me with a faraway look in his eyes. "She's just like me, so it seemed like the right thing to do. She was the only one who understood the way I was…the way I am."

I watch in silence as the rain drips from the tip of his perfect nose and chin. His eyelashes are spiky with moisture. Even like this, he's still so gorgeous.

"I never thought I would feel this way about anyone. I was content. I made peace with the idea of being married to her for the rest of my life."

"Then what happened? Why did you become discontented?" I ask in a low, irritated tone.

His eyes finally focus on mine.

"Bella, you happened. You were this skittish, little girl who stole my phone one day and the next…." He pauses, shaking his head. "You stole my heart."

"Edward," I exhale sharply. "I don't want to hear this."

"I don't know how you did it, but you did. That night you told me you wouldn't let anyone chase you away from me was the night I knew. I knew that I loved you, and I promised myself I would fight for us the way you did that night. Do you remember that?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't know what else to do." Achoo!

I know I'll end up regretting what I'm about to do.

"You're going to catch pneumonia. Come on."

"I'm fine. I just need you to listen to me."

"You're soaked and it's freezing out here, not to mention we're about to be swallowed up by flood waters. I'm freezing too, so either come in or fight your way back home."

He follows me inside, and I abruptly stop.

"Wait. Take your shoes off. You might slip and fall."

He removes his shoes and follows me to the stairs.

"Can I sit?"

"No. You're soaked, and Charlie will lose it if you wet his couch, or if he walks in and sees you changing in the middle of his living room. You can change in the bathroom upstairs."

"Bella, I didn't exactly bring clothes with me."

"I'll find you something."

"Um…okay."

I leave him in my room while I go into Charlie's. I try my best to find something for him to wear, but I come up empty. _God Dad, when was the last time you did laundry?_

I stumble back to my room, grabbing a towel from the bathroom on the way. It's dark in my room, but I'm close enough and it's not not so dark that I can't see him standing in front of me, completely naked. I make out every inch of his muscular silhouette; I can also see the faint glimmer from the silver, heart pendant I gave him._ He's still wearing it._

I bow my head and look at the floor as I feel him slowly approach me.

"I thought we had come a long way from you being shy," he says huskily.

"I'm n–not shy."

"Look at me." He reaches, out threading his fingers through my hair.

"Don't, Edward."

"Don't what? Need you…want you…love you?"

My heart flutters at his words, but I battle to maintain a stone-like presence.

"Don't touch me." I walk away and stand in front of the window. "I brought you a towel. Please cover yourself."

"This handkerchief isn't nearly big enough to uh…."

"Edward, I'm not in the mood for your sick sense of humor."

"My ass will freeze in this, Bella!"

"Then use this!" I snatch the comforter off my bed and wrap it roughly around his shoulders.

"Thanks." He's clearly annoyed.

I walk over to the window and stare out into the stormy night.

"You didn't tell me what happened to your eye."

"I don't want to tell you."

"Why not?" Who did that to your face?" I turn to look at him.

"Promise you won't get mad?" He scratches the back of his neck.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Why, what have you done?"

"I went looking for you when you didn't show up last night. I was…pissed off and somewhat intoxicated."

"You went looking for me, where?" I ask, confused.

He sighs heavily. "I went to your…your _friend's_ house, and before you flip out, I don't remember how or even going there at all."

I stare at him with my mouth open wide.

"You got into a fight with Jacob? What the hell is wrong with you?" I'm livid.

"I was drunk!"

"That's no excuse. I cannot believe you went to his house, but it looks like you got exactly what you deserved." I gesture towards his eye.

"Yeah, don't you be so sure about that," he snorts.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, let's just say that your overly muscle-bound friend is a bigger pussy than I originally thought."

"Edward Cullen, what did you do to him?"

"What did I do to him? Look at my eye!"

"You got what you deserved!"

"And he got what he deserved! He'll never touch you again."

_Oh my God, what did he do to him? Why didn't Jake call me? Did he kill him?_

I switch on the flashlight, looking for my phone.

"What are you looking for?"

"My phone."

"Here use mine." He grabs his phone from the bed, holding it out to me. "I doubt you'll get reception in this storm."

I snatch the phone and hold it up to my ear and sure as hell, there is no signal.

"Shit!"

"Nice language."

"Shut up, Edward! What did you do to him? Is he hurt?"

"I'm sure he is, but no more than I am. Although, when I left he looked like he was more comfortable on the floor than he was standing."

"Oh my God," I say, holding my hand up to my forehead. "You've lost it."

"Look, Bella he's fine. He's a big boy. A couple of blows to the midsection just slowed him down. I'm sure he's walking and talking just fine."

"Why did you do that?" I plead. "He's done nothing to you."

"That's where you're wrong. " He shakes his head and moves closer to me. "When you didn't show up, I couldn't get these images of you and him out of my head. I thought you didn't come to my place because you were _with _him."

"_With _him?" I repeat, perplexed.

"Don't make me say it, Bella." He looks at me with one raised eyebrow. "Christ…I kept seeing images of you and him in bed!"

"What? I would never have sex with another guy after you…after you and I…it's too soon!" I stutter.

A wide smile spreads slowly across his face. "I knew you couldn't do it. I knew you couldn't just forget about me."

"Don't smile at me. I'm furious with you, and you have some nerve questioning my fidelity when we are no longer together; especially when less than twenty-four hours after you asked me over to your place, there's a redhead with her lips wrapped around your dick!"

"That was a mistake. She barged in and…"

"And what, Edward?" I snap.

"I know what it looked like, but it wasn't like that. Victoria barged in and I was drunk. I was waiting for you and…it was her...and I was upset…and we started arguing…." He runs a hand through his hair. "God, Bella! Before I knew what was happening…I didn't want that...all I wanted was you."

"It sure didn't look that way to me."

"I was hurt and angry and incredibly stupid. I shoved her off me instantly, Brown eyes." He closes the space between us.

"Don't call me that," I say in a small voice.

"Tell me what to do, Bella, because I just can't stop loving you." He tilts my chin up to meet his gaze, and I can't think about the fact that we're over. All I can see is that girl on her knees, pleasuring him. Instead of becoming angry and telling him to go fuck himself, I become jealous and protective of what was once mine. I don't want him back. _Or do I?_ At this moment, I just know that I don't want anyone else to have him.

"Kiss me."

He looks at me for a moment, and the hand that's holding my chin slides up to my cheek. His other hand joins it seconds later. He strokes my cheeks with his thumbs. He's being so passionate and attentive, but I don't want that. I just need to feel him.

"Don't…just kiss me."

He looks confused, but complies. When his lips touch mine, I become crazed, yanking the comforter from his body and pushing him back onto the bed.

His look of bewilderment is still present.

"Wait, Bella, we don't have to do this."

"Are you saying you don't want me?" I ask, pulling my shirt over my head.

"Of course I want you. I always want you."

"Then don't talk, just show me."

He sits up and pulls me forward by my waist until I'm standing in- between his parted knees and yanks down my shorts. With one hand, he strokes his erection, and with the other he pulls me to straddle him. I place my hands on his shoulders and position myself to receive him. I sink down slowly, throwing my head back in complete satisfaction. "Oh God!"

"Oh Bella."

.

.

.

I lie stretched across his chest while he caresses my back gently. I feel no different. I'm still angry with him. Sex with him is always perfect, but we are too broken to get past all that's happened. I can't just turn a blind eye to what he's done; but what I've just done is no better than what he did to me when he lied about Tanya.

I pull away from him and slide to the end of the bed. I sit on the edge, trying to locate my clothing in the dark. I feel him shift and soon he's behind me, brushing my hair to one side and kissing my shoulder.

"Mmmmm, you were so good, baby."

"Where are my shorts?" I ask, ignoring him.

"Who cares? Where are you going?" He asks, while kissing my neck and sucking on my earlobe. "Come back to me. I haven't felt you in so long. I haven't had nearly enough."

My eyes flutter shut from the way his warm breath tickles the side of my neck. It feels so good, but I need to stop this from going any further.

"This changes nothing," I blurt out, and his lips freeze against my neck.

"What are you talking about? It changes everything." He starts kissing me again.

I jump up from the bed and spin around to face him. "This changes nothing, Edward," I repeat.

"You're kidding me, right. We just made love, of course it changes things."

"We fucked." You're sexy and irresistible and sometimes I find it extremely hard to not want you, but this...this is not love."

The look on his face goes from hurt to anger and then realization.

"Oh, I get it. I hurt you, so you hurt me. Is that how it works?"

I don't answer. I just watch as he starts to angrily pull on his wet clothing.

"There's a s…storm outside." I stammer.

"I'll take my chances." He stalks past me, swinging the door open.

"Just so you know, Bella, I fucked up. I know I did, but I would never have done this to you."

"You were only in it for the sex, anyhow." My voice trembles.

"Was I? Are you sure about that? You're kidding yourself if you think you can just forget about us. We're meant to be together, but you win, Bella."

He reaches up and unhooks the black cord from around his neck and hands it to me. "I'm sorry I wasn't more deserving of this."

I stare at it for a moment before taking it with a shaky hand.

He walks away, slamming the door in the process; which makes me flinch. _Oh God, what have I done?_

* * *

**_~~W~~_**

**Review, review, review. See you soon.**


	19. Chapter 19 It get Worse

**Chapter 19: Chapter 19**

* * *

**_Disclaimer:_****_ I do not own Twilight._**

**BPOV**

"I have something for you," he says, holding out his hand.

"What is it?" I ask shyly and reach into his palm.

"It's just something for you to remember us by…by us I mean…"

"I know…you and Lola. I would never forget you or her."

I hold up the multi-colored bracelet with charm attached.

"The charm is a puppy's paw…you know for Lola, and the bracelet is…"

"For friendship," I finish, "thank you. It's really sweet."

I slide the bracelet onto my wrist and wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

"Ahhhhhh! Shit!" he wails in pain.

I jump away from him and promptly regret my affectionate gesture.

"God, Jake." I'm so sorry." I gingerly place a hand to his bruised ribs._ Edward Cullen, you maniac._

"I'm fine Bella, really, but your boyfriend has some extreme mental issues. I understand he has a hot head when it comes to you…I get that, but if he ever…"

"He won't Jake. Edward and I are null and void." I sigh and crouch down to pet Lola's head.

"Are you alright?" he asks somewhat pensively.

I know he cares for me but on the other hand, I know that he's more than happy that Edward is out of the picture. I can't say that I share in his happiness.

"I will be," I shrug. "I'm resilient."

"You said he lives in Chicago too." He crouches down beside me slowly, wincing in discomfort.

"He does."

"Will he give you any trouble; I mean about the break-up. Will he respect your decision that it's over?"

I sigh again and he picks up on my agitation with the subject.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry into your personal business but I care about you, Bella. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know," I say, gently touching his shoulder. "But don't worry about me. I'll be fine; besides Edward will be too busy with his upcoming wedding to even think about me."

"He's a moron, Bella. You're better off without him," he replies, returning to his upright position.

I don't respond to his assessment of Edward. We could go on about this forever, but I want to spend some time with him before I have to go home and finish packing.

He sighs heavily as if he can sense my reluctance to engage in any conversation that has to do with my break-up.

"What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"I have an early flight...nine a.m."

He has a faraway look in his eyes.

"When will you come back for a visit?"

"You want me back so soon?" I joke, as I rise to face him.

"I don't want you to leave," he says seriously.

I roll my eyes playfully and grab him by the arm so he can walk me to my truck.

"Come and visit me in Chicago."

"Are you sure that you want me to?"

I consider giving him a sarcastically humorous response, but decide against it.

"I'm one hundred percent sure."

"Then I will." He smiles brightly, closing the door to my truck once I'm comfortably seated behind the wheel. "Will you call me later?"

"Yeah." I start the engine. I hate goodbyes, so I try to keep it as light as I can. I smile at him and change the gearshift.

"Hey, Bella?"

"Yeah?"

He gently tilts my chin with one hand, leans into the window and kisses me softly. I don't want to hurt him and this kiss is more innocent than the last, so I decide to not make a big deal of it.

"Don't be a stranger, and I'm taking you up on your offer," he concludes, pulling away from me. I smile and wait from him to move away from the truck.

As I drive off, I realize that I will miss him.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

After being welcomed home by everyone, James and I head to our separate offices. He seems to be relieved to be back home, I on the other hand, am miserable. I'm miserable without her. Before I have a chance to continue wallowing in my own self-loathing, my office door swings open, slamming into the wall.

"Would you care to explain to me why Tanya is screaming hysterically about you calling off the wedding?"

"Not really." I sigh, clearly annoyed.

"Edward…"

"Look, Mother, I really don't feel like discussing this right now. Can it wait until later?"

"No, Edward. No, it cannot wait. We will have this conversation immediately."

I knew she'd be here as soon as she heard my flight had landed. I also know that she'll be ranting about this until I have an enormous headache. Deciding to prepare myself, I call my secretary on the intercom.

"Lauren, I seem to be out of aspirin, would you happen to have any?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Cullen, I'm all out, but I'll run to the pharmacy right away."

"Thank you, Lauren."

I push back in my chair and turn my attention back to her. "You were saying, Mother."

"Don't you dare give me any of your pretentious bullshit, Masen, unlike Tanya, I will not put up with it for one second."

_Shit, she called me Masen and cursed. This is going to end badly._

"Do you have any idea the mess you've caused? Windsor and McKenzie are livid at what Tanya told them."

"I say this with the utmost respect, Mother; Tanya's parents can go to hell. They are not going to run my life and neither are you."

"So, what Tanya said is true? You're ready to throw your entire future away on some…"

I shoot up from my seat. "Don't you talk about her. I'm serious, Mother, let it go."

Slowly straightening her position, she looks at me wide-eyed as if she's just had an epiphany.

"Oh my God, Edward! Please do not tell me that you have feelings for this girl!"

"I said let it go, Mother." I walk toward the window.

"I'll let it go for now, but you better believe that your father won't."

She storms out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

"Round one Cullen, not bad. Damn it, Brown Eyes!" I whisper, shaking my head.

_A fucking letter, you sent her a fucking letter. Why didn't you go to her you, coward._

**_Flashback_**

_Brown Eyes,_

_I love you. It's weird that this is the only thing I can think of to say. It's crazy for a person who always knows what to say, to have a hard time articulating his feelings. I wish things could be different. I want to show you the world….I want to give you the world. To spend my life putting a smile on your face and see those beautiful eyes sparkle, is all I want. I know I said this before, but I never expected to meet you, Bella. I never expected to feel this way. You are everything I've ever wanted and everything I thought I could never have._

_Bella, I 'm sorry I hurt you. I'm more sorry than you'll ever know. I'd give anything if I could change what I did. _

_I'm not giving up on us, Bella; I'd be a fool to. With time and some distance, maybe you can try and find a way to forgive me. I'm hoping you'll come back to me so I can make you smile again._

**_End of flashback_**

* * *

**_BPOV_**

_I'll never stop loving you, Brown Eyes._

_Edward_

With tears in my eyes, I hold up the necklace he'd given me in Paris. It was tucked it inside the envelope with the letter that was delivered to my door just minutes after I arrived at the house.

"Wow, look at that thing sparkle," Charlie adds with a whistle. "Is that a gift from Edward?"

"Yeah." I answer and quickly hide the note in my back pocket.

"This is a good way to get out of the dog house." He continues, taking the necklace from my fingers.

"Jesus, Bells, this kid must really be nuts about you."

"He's a nut that's for sure," I mutter.

"You're my kid, and I may be a bit biased, but you deserve the best and this guy clearly wants to give it to you."

"I don't want his money, Dad." I sigh and take the necklace back.

"I know, and that's not what I meant. Edward loves you, honey."

"You say that with such confidence, Dad."

"Well yes, I am confident, but this came straight from the horse's mouth, darlin'. Edward told me himself," he finishes with a playful swat on my shoulder as he heads upstairs.

My eyes shift back to the necklace in my hand. _He told Charlie he loved me? Can I forgive him?_

I'm so confused, but I don't want to think about Edward anymore. I sprint up the stairs and start packing for my flight back home.

.

.

.

I've been at the airport for nearly fifteen minutes, and I'm already bombarded with feelings of missing Charlie. I told him I'd be back for Thanksgiving. I agreed to cook and he agreed to take the day off and eat.

I keep absentmindedly checking my watch for Angela to show and pick me up. Another fifteen minutes pass, and I finally see her head whipping back and forth, searching for me in the crowded lobby.

"Hey, Ang! I yell out and walk in her direction.

.

.

.

"He's what!" she screams, catching the attention of almost everyone in the airport lobby.

"You heard me."

"That arrogant son of a bitch! How could he do that to you?"

I don't have an answer for her. I can't understand what's happened myself.

As we walk through the lobby, I go over all of the sordid details of my disastrous Paris experience; the story of my love life, or lack thereof.

"So wait, are you telling me that he tried to tell you about her and you wouldn't let him?"

"Angela, I know where you're going with this, and it still doesn't make what he did right. He lied to me for over a month!"

"Look, Bella I'm not trying to make excuses for his obvious stupidity. All I know; is that I've never seen you happier than you are when you're with him. I think he really cares for you. Maybe you should think before you slam the door on him completely, but torture him some of course," she finishes with a wink.

"I don't know, Ang. I'm so pissed off at him, and there is so much more I haven't told you, but I don't feel like getting into it here."

"Well, we have plenty of time. Oh! I can't wait for you to see what I did to the apartment. You're going to love it."

"Oh God!" I say sarcastically, with an eye roll.

"Oh, and I told Rose about your…Edward."

I come to an abrupt stop. "Angela!" I screech. "Why would you do that? I asked you not to tell her!"

"I know, I know, but have you ever gotten into a stare down with Rose when she knows you're lying about something? Her eyebrow arches weirdly, nostrils flare and I could swear that I saw her eyes change color. She's like a human fucking lie detector, Bella. It's some really creepy shit. She was all like 'spill it four eyes', so I did."

_Crap! If she told Rose, why hasn't she called threatening to murder me?_

"You're a wus, Angela."

"I'll let that one slide because I know you're upset right now, but don't have a cow, I didn't tell her who he was.

"Oh well, thank God for small favors." I snap.

"Come on, let's get you home. You're obviously cranky." She drags me by the arm to the car.

Being cranky is putting it mildly. I'm miserable.

.

.

.

Later on that evening, I'm in bed and staring at the ceiling. My mind is flooded with images of Edward and me having sex. I can't seem to shake them no matter what I do. I want him so badly. My body craves him. I can almost feel the way he used to kiss and taste every inch of my naked skin, from head to toe. He'd pay attention to every part; parts any other man would never think of worshiping, fingertips, ankles, and hipbones, even eyelids. _God, I miss him so much._

He'd whisper '_open your legs wider' _in my ear, and on cue my legs would obey his command. He'd thrust so deep. With every passing stroke, my body would shudder beneath his, and he'd smile against my neck and say _'you like that baby?' _His breath would be so warm and sweet, tickling my ear, caressing my damp skin as he whispers and grunts.

My body starts reacting to these haunting thoughts. Nipples start to become erect and a dull throbbing starts between my legs.

My hand travels slowly beneath the sheets, and I pause once it reaches my panties. More beautiful images and a velvety voice saturate my thoughts as I reach my hand down. I spread my legs wide like he always asked, and I start gently massaging myself through my panties.

"Ungg, God."

'_Nobody's ever felt like you.' _I can hear his voice…I can feel the warmth of his skin…I can feel him hard inside me. _'You're so wet baby.'_

"Mmmm." I moan and slip my hand beneath the waistband and into the slick wetness. _God, he does this to me even when he's not around._

I flip over onto my stomach with my hand still buried in my panties and grind my hips slowly, letting my fingers slide back and forth through my folds.

'_I want to fuck you until you scream my name.'_

"Oh God! Edward….unngg!" I groan loudly, grinding my hips harder.

'_I want to feel you come so hard baby. Come for me._

"Oh God yes…oh!...I'm going to come hard for you baby…Edward! Ahhhh!" my screams are muffled by the pillow. My hips slow as I ride out my orgasm, but I don't remove my hand.

'_Fuck yes, baby. I can feel it coating my cock. Come for me again, baby, let go.'_

"Oh God!" I groan and bury my face back in the pillow. I pick up my pace again, and I bite down on the pillow, whimpering as I come for a second time.

"Ohhhh…ahhhh…oh God!"

My body trembles uncontrollably and my breathing is labored. I stay frozen in the same position, grunting hoarsely as I try to regulate my breathing. I flip over slowly and run my fingers through my damp hair, thoroughly spent. _Jesus, Edward Cullen, what have you done to me._

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I pull into the driveway of the place that I had hoped to be returning to with the woman of my desires. I don't even get a chance to show it to her. I dreamt about seeing her in every room of my home. I obsessed about making love to her on every surface in this house. Now everything's shot to hell. She wants nothing to do with me. Why can't she understand that she means everything to me? I sigh and drag myself out of my car and reluctantly walk up to the door, punch in my security code and enter.

Tanya's sitting on my couch with her legs crossed, one foot tapping impatiently.

"Déjà fucking vu." I mumble to myself, throwing my keys onto the table.

"It took you long enough," she says in an alarmingly calm voice.

"I wasn't aware that I had an appointment to keep." I flip through the mail Alice placed on my living room table. She insisted on house sitting while I was in Florida, even though I have a very capable staff that looks after my home. "Why are you here, Tanya?"

"Why wouldn't I be here? We have a wedding to plan, or did you forget?"

The woman is obviously delusional. Here she is spouting off about a wedding, after everything that's happened.

"We're not getting married, Tanya." I state flatly.

"Of course we're getting married, don't be ridiculous, Edward. All the arrangements have been made," she says, rising from the couch and walking toward me.

I know enough about her to be sure that this isn't going to be easy. She's a determined, stubborn woman who's used to getting whatever she wants. In short, she's a monumental spoilt brat.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walk closer to her until our bodies are inches apart.

"We. Are. Not. Getting. Married." I enunciate clearly, so that there is no confusion on her part as to where our relationship stands from this point on.

She narrows her eyes, and her forehead wrinkles in irritation. Her chest is heaving rapidly, as if she's ready to explode.

"You're not leaving me for her," she spits through clenched teeth. "I won't let you."

"You won't let me?" I repeat as my eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. "How are _you_ going to stop me? You know what…don't even answer that."

I shake my head, slightly amused. Her face looks the tiniest bit crestfallen and for a brief moment I feel badly for everything that's transpired between us.

"Tanya, listen, I care about you, but I'm in love with Bella."

Without a moment's hesitation, she slaps me across my face.

"How dare you? How dare you stand here, staring me in the face and say that to me?"

"It's the truth," I say rubbing my jaw. "I love her. I never meant to hurt you."

She goes to slap me again, but I catch her wrist before she can connect.

"You son of a bitch! I'm in love with _you_!"

I look at her like she's just lost her mind.

_What? Love?_

"Tanya, you don't love me. This thing," I gesture between us, "was all a business arrangement. You knew that from the beginning."

She shakes her head and snatches her hand from my grasp. "It might have started out that way, but things changed. I love you, Edward," she sobs.

I care about her; that much is true, partly because she's like me. She understands me. She knows what it's like to be me. We're cut from the same cloth. Our families are very much in tune with each other. They want her to marry someone that's on her level and who isn't after the Denali fortune.

"We're perfect together, Edward. We can have it all. Just give us a chance, I can make you happy."

"Tanya," I sigh heavily, and reach out to wipe a tear that starts to fall down her face "this cannot work. You're beautiful, intelligent and incredibly sexy. You can have any man you want…"

"You _are _the man I want…the _only _man I want, and I will not just stand back and watch that _girl_ ruin everything we've built together." She weeps hysterically.

"Tanya, this was a merger. We didn't build anything of substance…"

"No! I don't want to hear this shit, Edward." She covers her ears like a petulant child. "I won't listen to this. We _are _getting married. Whether you want to act like human beings and co-exist or not until that day arrives, is totally up to you; but I _will _see you at that altar on August thirtieth. Nine o'clock sharp!"

She grabs her purse and stomps toward the door.

"Tanya, wait…"

She spins, around holding up one finger to silence me. "Not another word, Edward," she breathes angrily. "August thirtieth."

I watch stunned as she slams the door, nearly tearing it off the hinges.

"Fuck! I'm not fucking marrying you, Tanya!" I yell. "No fucking way!"

I flop down in a chair and rest my head back, battling with myself as to whether I should call her or not. I want to hear her voice. I want her to forgive me. Something tells me that it's never going to happen. I ruined everything. The longer we're apart, the harder it will be to win Bella back.

* * *

**_TPOV_**

I jump into my car, still breathing harshly like I'm having some sort of heart attack. _We are getting married, Edward Cullen, you mark my words._

"Fucking asshole!" I scream, banging and shaking the steering wheel.

I fumble with my oversized bag, frantically searching for my cellphone.

"Where the hell is my Goddamned phone!"

When I finally locate it, I hit the speed dial button and wait impatiently for him to pick up.

"_Barry Sinclair." He answers professionally._

"Barry! When I call, you answer fucking immediately! Where the hell are you?"

"I'm in my office, Ms. Denali, what can I do for you?"

"What can you do for me? You can answer my fucking calls promptly. I'm the one paying your fucking salary. Don't fuck with me, Barry. I can make your life hell on earth."

"Okay, first calm down and tell me what's happened."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. He's right. I need to be operating with a clear head. I need to focus.

"I have two words for you, Barry…Bella Swan," I enunciate. "You find out where she's from. You find out where she works. You find out what the fuck she takes in her Goddamned coffee! I want you to find out everything there is to know about Bella mother fucking Swan! Do I make myself clear, Barry?"

"I hear you loud and clear, Ms. Denali, but what exactly am I looking for?"

"It doesn't matter. Dig up all the dirt imaginable on her, and bring it to me yesterday." I end the call, tossing the phone on the passenger seat.

_There is no fucking way that someone like her is going to waltz her low class ass into my life and flip it upside down. She has no idea who she's screwing with._

I glare at myself in the rearview mirror. "No fucking way," I repeat and tear off down the road. I'm putting an end to this once and for all.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

"Look what I found." She sings, waving an envelope in front of my eyes.

My eyes widen as I recognize what it is.

"Thief!" I gasp, lunging for the envelope. She dodges my attempts, laughing uncontrollably. "Angela, give it to me!" I whine.

"Oh no, Swan. You have some explaining to do. Why didn't you tell me he was poetic and generous…damn, Bella," she adds, draping the necklace between her fingers.

"Okay fine, he's poetic and generous, now give me it!" I say, lunging for her again. She turns her back easily and continues examining the necklace.

"Have you spoken to him?"

"Angela." I sigh.

"Well, have you?"

"No," I say, finally giving up.

"Bella!"

"What?"

"It's been two weeks." She reminds.

"It's been two and a half, but who's counting?" I correct.

"Obviously you are." She snorts. "Call him, Bella," she drawls, before placing the necklace and envelope in my hand and heading out to her early class.

.

.

.

This day just gets worse.

"Awe, come on Rose. I was going to tell you. I just didn't want to jinx it."

I'm standing in the kitchen, pouring a glass of orange juice, getting ready for class when Rose barges in and starts her onslaught. She hates being out of the loop, especially when there's man gossip to be had.

"What the fuck is 'jinx', Bella? I'm your best friend, how could you not tell me?"

I knew she was going to be pissed.

_You're a stool pigeon, Angela Weber._

"You _are_ my best friend, Rose and believe me the only reason Angela knew before you, is because she was there. Come on, forgive me." I plead, batting my eyelashes.

Her look of disappointment fades and is replaced by a minuscule smirk.

"I want to know all the details about this guy, from beginning to end. Then, I may forgive you," she says stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest like a four year old.

"I promise I will tell you everything as soon as I get in tonight." I hug her quickly and bolt out of the door.

I hop into my truck and am headed in the direction of school, when I decide I need to make an overdue stop.

.

.

.

I stare up at the building for what seems like hours, before I finally get the courage to make my way inside. It's very intimidating and quiet. Everyone is so professional looking, and here I am standing in the lobby in a pair of Victoria's Secret Pink sweats, a white tank top and flip-flops. _What the hell am I doing here? _

I must look like an idiot just standing there because someone finally approaches me to ask if I can be helped.

"May I help you, Miss?" he asks, startling me from my thoughts.

"Um…I'm here to see Edward…Edward Cullen." I reply, clearing my throat.

"Do you have an appointment?"

_Shit, I should've known I wouldn't just be able to waltz in here and see him without some sort of clearance. He's a fucking billionaire, for Christ's sake! They probably think you want to kidnap him for ransom._

"No, I don't have an appointment," I answer shyly.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but if you do not have an appointment then you cannot see Mr. Cullen, and he did not mention that he was expecting anyone, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Marcus, she's okay. I've been expecting her."

I whirl around at the sound of a familiar voice and focus on the blond with the gorgeous smile, winking at me. It's his brother. He motions me over with his head, and I slowly walk in his direction. This is the first time I notice that he and Edward share the same smile. He has the same sly, sexy smirk as well.

_Damned Cullen men and their perfect teeth and panty-dropping smirks!_

"Hey, gorgeous. That bastard is going to be psyched to see you."

"I doubt that," I mumble under my breath. "Is it okay if I go up to see him?"

"Sure. He's on the twenty-fourth floor," he says, turning and heading toward the door.

"Wait, you're not going up with me?" I ask nervously.

"I don't believe in cockblocking, _Brown Eyes_." He comments nonchalantly.

I gape at him. _Same bullshit charm and did he call me Brown Eyes?_

"Do me a favor, gorgeous," he says walking back to me. "Please put that poor bastard out of his misery. He's lost without you." He gently pinches my chin between his thumb and index finger. I watch him walk away and straighten my shoulders before I slide into the elevator.

The ride up is long and torturous. I have no idea what I'm going to say. When the doors open, I glance around nervously at my surroundings. It is beautifully arranged. The décor is mostly art deco and tastefully done. I can definitely see Edward's style floating throughout the office.

I approach the receptionist's desk hesitantly. She's on the phone, speaking about non-work related things; I can make out that much. I stand there for minutes before she finally acknowledges me.

"Are you here to see…?"

_Duh._

"Um...yes."

She nods and presses the speaker to alert him to my presence. My heart thunders in my chest when I hear his voice.

"What is it, Lauren?"

"Mr. Cullen you have a visitor…a…."

She pauses and raises her eyebrows at me, waiting for my response.

"Um… Bella…it's Bella," I reply.

"Bella, is here to see you." she adds in a questioning tone.

I hear him say 'fuck' and the sound of things being knocked over, before he answers again.

"Uhhh...Send her in, Lauren please. Thank you."

"Mr. Cullen will see you now. Walk straight down the corridor to your left."

As I approach his office, I have the sudden urge to turn around and run the hell out of here, but I know this won't accomplish anything so I knock on the door lightly and wait with bated breath.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

_Fuck! She's here. Bella's here._

I straighten my already perfectly organized desk as if it would interest her. _Calm down, you idiot. She doesn't give a fuck about the appearance of your office._

"Shit, get it together Cullen." I berate myself.

I walk toward the window and take a deep breath. Closing my eyes, I mentally count how many footsteps it should take for her to finally reach the door._ Why is she here? Can she possibly be missing me as much as I miss her?_

A million thoughts are running through my mind as I hear her tiny fist tap on the door. I sharply exhale the breath I've holding and without turning around, I call over my shoulder.

"It's open."

The door slowly opens and almost instantly her delicious scent permeates the air. I shut my eyes tightly then quietly let out a low, deep moan. She still smells so fucking amazing.

"Um… hi," she says innocently.

I turn around at the sound of her voice.

_Damn it, she's so beautiful, all messy ponytail, flip-flops, and sweet baby Jesus, a tight white tank top. Dig me a grave now._

"Hi." I respond with a smirk.

"What's funny?" she asks

"Nothing is funny, "I reply coolly. "You just look beautiful. Only you could pull that off and look gorgeous." I gesture towards her typical college girl attire. "I almost forgot how much you take my breath away."

"I wasn't aware that I do that to you," she whispers and looks down at the floor. _And there it is…that blush._

We stand in silence briefly, but is seems like an eternity. I can swear the only sounds in the room are the rapid beating of our hearts. I want to dart across the room and kiss her silly. I want to crush her body close to mine and never let her go. We belong together…I know it and her showing up here cements my belief.

"I…" we speak at the same time. "I'm sorry, you go first."

She begins to protest, but then changes her mind.

"Um…." she swallows thickly. "How are you?"

"I'm good…you?" I ask, with my eyes fixated on hers.

She fidgets under my stare, and I know I'm making her nervous when she gnaws on her bottom lip.

"I'm…okay," she answers in a small voice, still watching me cautiously.

"Are you…okay, Bella?" I step in her direction. "Because I'm not," I say, advancing further. With every maneuver I make, her eyes grew larger.

"You just said that you were good."

"I lied." I take one more step and am now close enough to touch her. She looks up at me with those beautiful, doe-eyes and there is no more holding back. Cupping both of her cheeks, my lips mold to hers and it feels like my body bursts into flames. She whimpers and grabs onto my wrists, holding on for dear life.

Her lips start to move against mine, and I let out a deep breath through my nose and angle her head to deepen the kiss. Her tongue sweeps across my bottom lip, and I part my own, sucking it into my mouth. It feels so warm...tastes so sweet; it feels like a place I never want to leave. The kiss is passionate and overwhelming, but there is no way in hell I'm about stop to examine my jumbled feelings.

I walk us backward to the couch in my office. I pull away and look at her. Her eyes are still closed and her lips are set in the most adorable pout.

"I knew you would come back to me," I sigh with relief before kissing her again.

My hands are everywhere; groping, kneading and caressing her body feverishly. I can't get enough. We have so much lost time to make up, and we'll start by christening this couch and then the desk.

Reaching up to the back of her head, I yank out her hairband, tossing it across the room and bury both hands in her soft hair.

"Bella." I murmur against her lips, and then trail my mouth down her cheek, brushing her neck with my lips.

"Edward," she moans.

I wrap my hand around her waist and lower us both down onto the couch. I settle between her legs, my erection pressed firmly against her warm center, and I grind it into her, hard. Each time my hips rotate, I'm rewarded with a soft moan and her hands gripping my ass.

"God, I missed you so much," I whisper in her ear and start thrusting my cock upwards. Her hands tighten, pulling me as I push. "You like that, baby?"

I feel her whole body freeze, and her hips stop gyrating against my now full-blown arousal.

I lift my head from the crook of her neck and gaze at her.

"Are you okay?" I ask, out of breath. "What's wrong...why did you stop?"

"This is wrong…I…I didn't come here for this." She slides from underneath me and puts her flip-flops back on.

I glance up at her, then back to my cock that's now straining against the zipper on my slacks. I quickly adjust myself and scrub my face with both hands.

"Um…okay…you're right. I know you didn't come here for this," I say, rising from the couch and coming to stand behind her. "I know we got a bit carried away, baby, but we can start slow if you want." I slip my arms around her waist and pull her body flush with mine.

"Edward…"

"We should talk first…maybe over dinner. What do you think?" I finished with a kiss to her ear and the side of her neck. All the while, I'm swaying us back and forth, brushing my cock across her ass. "I know the perfect place. There is so much I want to tell you, Brown Eyes."

"Edward, no." She unclasps my hands and walks across the room.

"Bella, I know it's going to take time. I know we can't just pick up where we left off, but we have to start somewhere. I can be patient…we don't have to have sex right now, baby."

She turns around, looking at me somewhat confused.

"Edward we cannot have sex now or…"

"Bella, I love you, I don't care if I have to wait a couple of weeks to make love to you again."

I watch her forehead wrinkle and her eyebrows knit together.

"Okay fine, a month is not that bad…you're worth it, besides the buildup will be kind of fun if you look at it."

She closes her eyes and places her hand on her forehead.

My eyebrows shoot up in realization.

"Christ! _Months?_ Bella you can't be serious. That's…that's just…"

"Edward!" she yells. "I. Did. Not. Come here for this." She runs her hand through her wild locks in exasperation.

"Then why did you come here, Bella? I'm fucking confused." I walk over to her.

"I…" she pauses, "I didn't come here to get back together with you. I came here to return this."

She digs in her messenger bag and hands me a very familiar looking envelope. I know instantly what it is.

"You came all the way here to return my letter?"

"Yes, and to ask you not to keep sending this necklace. It represents something that I want to forget. Please stop trying to force it on me, I don't want to think about Paris."

I narrow my eyes at her while she speaks. My anger is threatening to explode. "So let me get this straight," I say, pinching the bridge of my nose, "you came all the way here just to throw this letter and the necklace back in my face, but not before allowing us to almost fuck on my office couch?"

"I…I didn't…we weren't…you pounced on me before I had a chance to think about what was happening!" she stutters.

"Right. Just like I pounced on you in Chicago when we were in your bedroom? Cut the shit, Bella. You are not the first woman to use me for sex." I walk away from her and flop down into my chair.

"Edward…I want to apologize for that night…I didn't mean to.."

"Forget it. Like I said, you aren't the first. Is that all?" I ask, my voice laced with hostility.

"Edward…"

"Look, Bella I've heard you loud and clear and believe me, I love you, but I'm not a complete masochist." I busy myself with non-existent paperwork. "Now if you're finished, I have a ton of work to do."

"I'm sorry," she whispers, picking up her bag and hurrying out of the office.

"Yeah, me too." I send the stack of papers flying off of my desk with a smack.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

**Reviews, as always, are appreciated.**


	20. Chapter 20, Reconcile

**Chapter 20: Reconcile**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight related.**

**_EPOV_**

Days have gone by since she showed up at my office. When she appeared, I really thought things were going to work out. I had missed her so much, I still do. I thought she felt the same…I _know_ she did then, probably still does. I could tell it in her eyes, by the way she responded to me. She's just afraid. I can't blame her for that. I guess it was premature of me to think that things would just go back to the way they were.

Now it's Friday morning, and I find myself waiting in my father's study, ready to discuss upcoming business meetings. I'm sure it isn't the only thing that we'll be discussing today.

My father is an extremely intense man, but I'd rather discuss this with him than with my mother any day. She's irrational to say the least. Carlisle will at least attempt to hear the whole story before he starts with his onslaught, classic CC behavior.

I'm deep in thought when I hear the door open and close silently. He enters the room without uttering a word. That act alone, tells me that he isn't in a pleasant mood.

"Where's your brother?"

"I have no clue, I'm not his keeper," I answer immediately voicing my disinterest. I'm sure that response will grant me a stare-down, but I'm wrong.

"I despise tardiness, but that will give us time to talk," he says, annoyed and sits on the edge of his desk.

I flip absentmindedly through a manila folder, trying to avoid his gaze, but it doesn't deter him for a second.

"Should I start or would you like to go first?"

"Do what you want," I respond nonchalantly.

"Edward…" he sighs, but is cut off by James abruptly entering the office.

"What did I miss?" he asks, seemingly without a care in the world and sits down quietly next to me.

"Well, you haven't missed much, but I would appreciate the courtesy of you showing up as scheduled next time." Carlisle responds coldly.

"Courtesy, huh?"

I glance at him then back at my father who's clearly not amused. Something's wrong. James is glaring at my father like he's ready to murder him, but his tone is way too calm for my liking.

James hasn't said another word to me about the whole Leah revelation in Florida, and that's strange. Silence is not his style, and when it comes to Leah he's fierce.

He seems to be somewhat off, like he's a ticking bomb ready to explode.

"Yes, courtesy, James." My father snaps.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me, right? I'm ten minutes late." He checks his watch.

"Don't use that language with me, it's disrespectful and one minute is a minute too late, James. It's business 101," he adds sarcastically.

"You're going to talk to me about disrespect? Man that's rich," James snorts.

My father's head jerks up and his eyes narrow as he looks at him with disgust.

"Do you have something you want to get off your chest, James?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Where the hell do you get off butting into my life?"

I look back at my brother who's now inches apart from my father, with his index finger pointed in his face and nostrils flaring. The shit is about to hit the fan and it won't be pretty.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about, James."

"James…" I try to interject.

"Shut up, Edward! If you'd told me about this sooner, we wouldn't be having this conversation now."

"James, calm down and let's talk rationally about what's upsetting you."

"Fuck that! Save the calm, tranquil voice for someone else, Carlisle. I know what you've done and believe me you won't get away with it."

I watch in complete astonishment as James storms off, leaving my father scratching his head as to what just went down.

"Do you know what the hell that was all about?" he asks.

I nod, but don't reply. He raises his eyebrows, waiting for a response and I give in.

"Leah." "He knows about Leah."

"Shit!" He exhales sharply and runs a hand through his hair. "He heard about her engagement. I should've known this was coming," he mutters to himself.

"Engagement," I scoff, shaking my head. "You think this about Leah's engagement to another man?"

"Of course it's about that. What else could it be about? I know how much he loves her. He's hurt, but he'll get over it."

"Are you insane?"

I jump up from my chair. It's my turn to let him have it. "He'll never get over it! He'll never get over losing her, and he'll never get over the fact that you and Mom were behind it," I spit. "He knows about everything, Dad!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Edward?" He stares at me in obvious confusion.

We're distracted by the sound of raised voices from down the hall.

I hear my mother yelling from some feet away. Carlisle and I exchange looks and leave the study in a hurry to find out what's upset her.

"That girl was beneath you. She would never have made you happy!"

When we enter the family room, James and my mother are toe to toe.

"I told you to stay out of my life! You have no say in whom I choose to be with!"

"You were making the biggest mistake of your life with that girl, so you're damned right, I was going to intervene."

"Who the hell asked you? I'm a grown man. It's not up to you to pick and choose the women in my life. You've ruined Leah and me, but you will _not _get another opportunity to meddle in my life, Mother. You got that?" He turns to leave, but she grabs his arm.

"You're my son," she says in a shaky voice. "Everything I did…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Mother," he interrupts, snatching his arm away. "You did this for yourself and for him." He nods in my father's direction. "What you did was all done to protect his precious fortune. You didn't give a damn about me."

"Son…" my father attempts to interrupt, but James is too far out of control to listen.

"You'll be sorry you ever decided to blow my life apart…both of you will be. Little brother, if you know what's good for you, you'll put an end to this shit now and fight for Bella."

Mouths are agape and eyes are bugged out as I look around the room when he stalks out of the door.

"What the hell just happened here?" my father yells.

"You're still going to pretend to be innocent, Dad?" I scoff.

"You told him everything, didn't you, Edward?" My mother states rather than asks, while shooting daggers at me.

"He has a right to know."

"You had no right to tell him!"

"I had every right! He's my bother. My only mistake was that I didn't tell him sooner. Maybe then he wouldn't have lost the love of his life."

"Wait a minute. What did you do, Esme?" My father walks to stand in front of her.

_Is he fucking kidding? Is he really going to fake ignorance now?_

She stares at him with tears threatening to spill. I look on as she swallows thickly before she answers. I don't understand the look on my father's face. It's like he has no idea what's going on.

"I paid Leah off to break-up with James." She forces out.

"Goddamn it, Esme!" he roars. "I told you to let me handle it. Christ! I assumed that she just gave up on him and walked away." He throws up his hands and paces the floor.

"You didn't know?" I whisper. He stops and looks at me with a blank expression. My eyes swing over to where my mother is trembling in place. "I. Cannot. Believe. You!"

"Edward, this has nothing to do with you and your situation. You have to marry Tanya."

"Are you fucking crazy? I don't _have _to do anything."

She flinches at my outburst, and my father quickly comes to stand in-between us.

"Edward! Don't speak to your mother like that!"

"If you think for a second that I'm going to let you bully me into marrying Tanya, you're clearly not operating on a full tank, Mother. I love Bella, and you can just forget about Tanya!" I follow in my brother's footsteps and head out of the door.

The fading sounds of my father berating my mother finally disappear once I reach the front door. I yank it open and Alice comes stumbling in from the force I exerted.

"What the hell? Her bell-like voice chirps. "Edward…wait, what's happened?"

I guess she can tell by the look on my face that I'm in a fucked up mood. It's almost like we're twins and have that whole _twin _thing going on. I swear she can read my mind sometimes.

"I need to get out of here."

"That much is clear from the way you almost dismantled the door. What's going on?"

"Not now, Smidge. Something happened with Mom and James, and I need to find him." I brush past her, to get to my car.

"Wait! What happened, Edward? I'm coming with you. You're obviously too pissed off to drive."

"Fine." I toss her the keys over my shoulder.

.

.

.

**_Alice POV_**

It doesn't take long for Edward and me to find James. When either one of my brothers is upset, I know the first place to look is the nearest bar. We stand at the front, watching James. He almost looks like Edward around the head with the way his hair's standing on end. He's obviously been tearing it out in frustration.

After convincing Edward to tell me everything that happened before I arrived, I'm completely outraged at my parents. All they do is meddle and bully their children into getting what they want. In the long run, all it truly does; is push us away from them.

"I'm getting a drink. You want one?" Edward asks, and I shake my head.

"One of us has to be the designated driver tonight. Knock yourself out."

He nods, and I briskly walk toward James. I'm annoyed at the sight of the blonde who's straddling him. I reach the table, and she keeps giggling, unaware that I'm standing behind her.

"Smidgy," he slurs, "I didn't know you were here! Join us." He drags over another chair. "This is…um…what's your name, sweetheart?"

"It's Tammy," she giggles, "and he's all mine, honey," she adds, looking over her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm not interested." I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, well, you won't mind giving us some privacy then, since you're not interested in him."

"I'm his sister, you twit." I snap and lean my head to the side to glare at my bother.

"Oh, how rude of me," she says, turning her body fully around and shoving her hand in my face, expecting me to shake it.

"James." I say with a hint of warning.

"Uh, Terry, sweetheart can you give me and my sister a moment?"

"It's Tammy," she whines.

"Yeah, that's what I said. Go to the bar and order whatever you want and put it on my tab. I'll be over in a few." He shoos her away.

"It was very nice meeting you." She drawls as she stands, slightly stumbling in the process. I flash her a quick, tight smirk and glare at James.

_What a fucking bubblehead._

"She's…nice."

"Don't start, Smidge."

"So…Edward told me about everything that happened with Mom and Dad."

"So?" He says moodily.

"So, do you want to talk about it or do you want to drink yourself into a stupor?"

"Stupor sounds good to me," he answers, tossing the contents of the glass down his throat.

"Then I'm glad I showed up here," I say, removing my jacket. "Edward's over at the bar. He apparently has the same idea as you."

"He's a fucking pansy," he breathes, scrubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands. "He won't even tell Mom and Dad to go to hell and fight for the woman he loves."

"Are we talking about Edward or you, James?"

He continues drowning his sorrows and waves me off defiantly.

.

.

.

I watch my brothers bickering back and forth for nearly an hour about who's wrong and who's right. They are both smashed.

_What a fucking way to start the weekend!_

"You're a fucking idiot, James. Leah would come back to you in a heartbeat, just talk to her."

"I'm a fucking idiot? What about Bella? I set it up the other day at the office so you would have a chance to get her back, and you fucked it up."

"She doesn't want me, man. I've tried! She just…doesn't want me." His voice trails off painfully."

_Oh brother. This is going to be a long night._

"You two are both pathetic." I sigh heavily. "James you tucked your tail between your legs and walked away from, Leah."

"But…" I raise my hand to silence him.

"And, Edward what you did to Bella was just…stupid. You should've told her the truth." They both hang their heads in defeat, knowing I'm right.

"Neither one of you has a clue about women. You both let Mom and Dad control your lives, and now you're both alone. To make a long story short, you both should be doing some major groveling. God, I'm so glad my Jazz knows how to treat a woman." I shake my head at them in disgust.

I love my brothers deeply, but they can be incredibly dense when it comes to women. They're geniuses in the boardroom, but women? Forget about it.

"So, Edward, what happened the other day when Bella came to see you?" I ask, knowing all to well how it turned out.

He hesitates and exhales deeply. "I practically jumped her in the office."

"Shameful." I comment.

"I missed her, Smidge. I'm getting a severe case of blue balls, and I haven't had sex in weeks." He whines like a five-year old.

"Eww! And TMI, Edward! No wonder you're here getting bombed. Don't you realize that sex is what got you into this mess in the first place?"

"How?"

"Forget it," I scoff. "You need a reality check, dear brother."

"Tell me about it." James adds.

I shoot him a look as if to say '_you've got some nerve.'_ And he quickly shuts his mouth.

"I need to use the ladies room. Will you two losers promise to stay out of trouble until I get back?" They both nod and continue wallowing by downing drinks. They also decide on ordering some spicy wings and fries. At least they're getting along now.

.

.

.

"Shit!" I say, looking at myself in the mirror. All the smoke and humidity in the bar has done a number on my hair. I reach into my purse for my brush and lip-gloss. I fluff out my hair and am reapplying my gloss, when the bathroom door opens and someone brushes past me.

"Oh, excuse me."

"It's okay, there's plenty of room, just let me move down a bit." I slide my purse off the counter and move to the left, making room. I watch myself carefully in the mirror as I trace my lips with the gloss.

"Alice?"

I glance to my right when I hear her call my name.

"Bella? Well, isn't this something."? I'm highly amused. "Your ears must be on fire."

"Why?" she asks, innocently.

"No reason." I chuckle waving a hand in the air.

"Well… it was nice seeing you again," she says reluctantly and starts for one of the bathroom stalls.

"Bella, wait."

"Yes?" She turns to face me.

"Did you see Edward out there?"

"No…I didn't know he was here…I didn't see him…I came straight to the restroom," she rambles. Her entire face goes red at the mention of his name.

_Jesus, she's got it bad for the bastard._

"Look, Bella this is usually the part where I would say _'I know this is none of my business,'_ but Edward is my brother, which makes him a huge part of my business; so I'm just going to say this. My brother is a jackass."

She blinks rapidly as she looks at me. She's obviously shocked by my admission.

"He is a jackass," I repeat. "But when he loves, he loves hard and fiercely, and I didn't notice it when I saw you two together in Florida, but after spending time with him tonight, things are pretty clear. He loves you Bella, and he's a mess."

"Alice, I know he's your brother, and you love him; but Edward did something…something I'm just not able to forgive. I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive him." She explains.

"I know what he did, and believe me, I'm not condoning it. If Jazz ever did something like that to me, I would strangle the life out of him and then beat his ass." She smiles and ducks her head shyly. "All I'm saying is that he loves you, and when he's not being a jackass, he can be pretty amazing. As a matter of fact, he's the best, and I'm not just pimping my brother. "

"Pimping? You're definitely Edward's sister," she adds with a quick chuckle.

"Yeah, he kind of rubs off on people," I laugh. "Do you love him, Bella?"

She simply nods her head. "It doesn't mean I can be with him though."

"Are you just willing to let the man you love go, without a fight?"

I see the struggle in her eyes. She's as miserable as he is.

_Damn it! Two stubborn oxen, this is going to be tough._

"He didn't ever love her, Bella. You don't understand my parents."

"He's a grown man, Alice."

"Again, you don't understand my parents, but I'm not going to badger you. I know you'll do the right thing." I walk past her and reach for the doorknob. "You know," I pause," you won't be able to stay away from him for long. The Cullen's are completely irresistible." I wink at her over my shoulder.

.

.

.

**_EPOV_**

Have you ever been so drunk that you drink more just to sober up? _ Fuck!_

James isn't doing any better, but he decides to rejoin the friend he met earlier at the bar. I have a splitting fucking headache, and the room is spinning. I lay my forehead down on the table and try counting sheep.

_You idiot! That's what you do when you're trying to get to sleep, dick._

"Sober up asshole, today's your lucky day," she whispers in my ear.

"Stop shouting, Smidge." I groan.

"Do you want Bella to see you completely shit-faced? Pull it together, Edward."

_Bella. Bella. Isabella; the name of an angel._

"Bella doesn't want me anymore. She hates me, Smidge."

"Uh, I beg to differ. I just talked to her in the bathroom and she didn't tell me that she hated you. In fact she said the opposite."

I raise my head to look at her. She must have finally gone crazy.

"What the hell are you talking about, Smidge. Bella's not here."

"She _is _here, and she's watching you act like a drunken loser as we speak, now sober up." She finishes with a pinch to my forearm that hurts like shit.

"Ow…Ouch! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Shhh. Look to your left, moron."

I turn my head and am met with her eyes, focused intensely on mine.

_Fuck! She is here._

_._

_._

_._

**_BPOV_**

"So, I see your man's here, what a coincidence," she says sarcastically and laughs.

"If I didn't know any better, Angela, I would swear you set this up."

"Somebody's paranoid." She slurps her drink loudly through a straw.

"I'm not paranoid," I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh, stop acting like a child and go and talk to him, Bella. You know you want to."

I steal glances at him; Alice is right, he does look a mess. He's still amazingly gorgeous, but never the less, a mess. He's drunk. _ Is he this way because of me? _ I'm yanked from my thoughts when something dances in front of my eyes.

"You want some?"

"Oh my God, gross!" I cover my mouth and nose, heaving as if I'm about to throw up.

"What do you mean, gross? Cheese onion rings are your favorite!" She squeaks, looking surprised.

"Ugh, God, Angela just get it out of my face. It smells horrible!" I finish, shaking my head and waving off the offensive item, and I dart quickly out of reach of the reeking fried, greasy food.

Once a find a spot where the air is a little clearer, I stare at Edward again.

I'm frozen in place, watching him. _What are the odds that I would run into his sister in a public bathroom? _

It seems no matter what I do, I can't escape Edward Cullen. Especially now that he notices me staring at him. He slowly pushes away from the table and stands. He heads in my direction and my feet feel like they're cemented to the floor. I can't move.

"You shouldn't be standing here all alone," he comments sluggishly.

"You shouldn't be standing at all," I reply humorously.

"Touché'." He answers with his gorgeous smirk. "By the way, I'm not stal..following you. I didn't know you would b..be here." He slurs and stutters over his words. His eyes are heavy-lidded, and God help me, he is still sexy….hammered and all.

"You're drunk."

"No…nah….I'm not dr…drunk. I'm…" he pauses, struggling to find his words, "I'm…okay, fine I'm drunk." He throws his arms up in defeat. "Will you dance with me?" he asks, lazily raking his eyes over me.

I wasn't even aware that there was music playing until he asks me. My mind is screaming at me to say no, but my heart and my body have other ideas. Slowly, I step into his waiting arms. It's as if I'm being drawn to him like a magnet. We sway back and forth, not actually dancing, just small steps from side to side. His eyes are practically glued to mine. I can feel my heart race.

"I've missed dancing with you."

"Edward…"

"Don't. Please don't say anything." He shakes his head at me. "You don't have to say anything, just dance with me."

He pulls me tighter into his arms, and I rest my head on his shoulder. My eyes flutter closed as I feel his hand stroke my hair. I'm totally lost in him…his smell…his warmth…his embrace.

Time seems to stand still as we move. After awhile, I realize the music has stopped, but we're still in each other's arms, until I decide to pull away.

"How do you do that?" I ask nervously.

"Do what?" he whispers, reaching out to cradle my face.

"How do you completely compel me?" I say mostly to myself and lean into his touch.

"I wish you didn't feel compelled…only loved."

His hand caresses my cheek and slowly drops from my face.

"Thank you for the dance," he says and turns to walk away. Something inside causes me to panic. I don't want him to leave.

"Edward…" I reach out and grab his hand. He stops and looks down at our hands and links his fingers with mine.

"I don't want to push you, Bella. I'm trying to give you space in the hope that you'll see that we belong together. I don't know what else to do."

I think about everything Alice has said to me. I can't understand why, after hearing it from him, Angela and my dad, that Alice's words are the only ones to really hit home. _The Cullen's are irresistible._

I shake my head and discreetly smile.

"Maybe we could talk over dinner?" He's hesitant. I can tell he's nervous by the way he scratches the back of his neck.

"Okay," I answer quietly. His eyebrows shoot up. I can't believe the words left my mouth either.

"Okay?"

"I mean…dinner…talking .. I…" I stammer, and he places his fingers over my lips.

"Just dinner and talking, Brown Eyes. I promise."

I nod and a beautiful smile spreads across his face.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"Yes." I breathe, and I see him fighting the urge to pull me into his arms and never let go. I feel the same. "Maybe you can call me next week and…"

"I want to call you tonight." He interrupts gently.

"Alright…tonight," I sigh happily.

We stand there smiling goofily until he decides to break the silence.

"I um…I better get going before you change your mind."

"I won't change my mind."

His smile becomes even brighter. "Then I should go and take a shower and drink a ton of coffee so I can have a clear head when I call you." He says, not letting go of my hand.

"Are you trying to ditch me?" I ask in amusement.

"Absolutely not. I'll stay if you want me to."

I think for a second and then answer, "You should go."

He looks at our laced fingers one last time and releases my hand.

"I'll call you," he murmurs and walks back to his table. He whispers something in his sister's ear. She looks over at me and smiles triumphantly

_Irresistible._

_._

_._

_._

True to his word, Edward calls me. We spend half of that night deciding when, and if it's a good idea for us to go through with seeing each other. He convinces me, of course.

I agree to go over to his place for dinner, although I feel a little uneasy about being alone with him in his home. Being alone with Edward always seems to lead to complications. Sexually, I'm so attracted to him, and sometimes it's hard to avoid his charm and his advances. He's reassured me that all we're going to do is have dinner and talk. I can't say that I believe him. This is Edward Cullen, after all.

I've told him that I'd finish work at five. He offered to pick me up from there, but I drive to work so I insisted that we meet at his house.

As I approach the final turn, I'm astonished at the beautiful house up ahead. It's gated and there's an intercom system to alert him to my arrival. I drive up the path slowly and roll down the window to punch in the code he'd given to me the night before. I wait as the gate opens for me to drive through. I park my truck and check my hair and minimal make-up in the rearview mirror.

"Are you going to keep me waiting all night?" I hear him say from the doorway.

I lower my head with a smile, obviously a little embarrassed that I've been caught. I stop primping and hop down from the truck and walk toward him.

He's leaning against the doorframe, looking absolutely sinful in dark denim jeans and a white t-shirt.

_Jesus, have mercy on me._

"I thought you were never going to come."

_Come._

My eyes glaze over at the mention of that particular word and my mouth goes dry.

_For heavens sake, get your mind out of the carnal abyss, Bella._

"I said I wouldn't change my mind." I say, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Yes, you did say that. Come in." He steps aside for me to pass.

"You cut your hair." I notice as soon as I pass him.

"Yeah, just a little." He runs his fingers through it. "Were the directions helpful? You didn't get lost, did you?"

"No, the directions were fine." I walk through, admiring his house. "It's beautiful here. I hadn't expected it to be so…."

"You hadn't expected it to be so what…. un-bachelor like?" he interjects.

"No. I just…I didn't expect it to feel so homey." I correct.

"Ah, I see," he says mockingly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Well it was a compliment. You have an amazing home." I turn to face him. He smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He seems nervous.

"Um, you were undecided about what you wanted for dinner, so I hope that I chose something to your liking," he says over his shoulder as he disappears into the kitchen. I casually walk over to the breathtaking black piano that's centered the dining area. I gently glide my fingers over the keys, without pressing on them too firmly.

The room is dimly lit and smells wonderful. I have no idea what he's cooking, but I can't wait to find out. My stomach reacts excitedly to the wonderful aromas. I'm really looking forward to once again being treated to his fabulous culinary skills.

"I hope you like steak." He states as he re-enters the room and sees me looking at the pictures displayed on top of the piano.

"It smells unbelievable. I'm sure it's delicious," I say, picking up the gold frame. "Are these your parents?"

"Yes," he answers quickly.

"Wow, they look so young. You look like your mom. She's really beautiful."

In fact, she's extremely beautiful with the same color hair as Edward's. His parents don't look a day over thirty. He's the spitting image of her, but with the same green eyes as his father. They don't look anything like I imagined. When Edward told me about them, I thought they'd be older… look sterner. I can't believe that the couple I'm looking at are the same people who are causing all this havoc in their children's lives.

"Yeah, she's beautiful." He sighs and takes the picture from me and puts it back in place. I must have been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed him setting dinner out on the dining room table. He leads me over and pulls out my chair. The aroma makes my mouth water. I wait for him to sit at the table before I start digging in.

The first bite melts in my mouth like butter. _Damn it! Where did this guy learn to cook!_

As if he can read my mind, he smiles and cuts into his steak.

"Do you like it?"

"Like, is an under statement. This is phenomenal." I moan, lifting a forkful of grilled vegetables to my mouth.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's my favorite meal. Kobe beef is the finest in the world."

I nod and continue eating. We eat in silence for the rest of the meal. The scrape of utensils on plates is the only sound echoing in the room.

He's nervous and awkward. I'm starting to wonder if this is a bad idea. Maybe it's too soon. I've never seen him this uncomfortable before.

"Is everything alright?" I ask. He pauses with the fork still in his mouth, eyes widened.

"Everything's fine. Are you okay, did you want some more wine?" he asks, reaching for the bottle.

"No, I'm okay. I was just wondering about you. You seem so quiet. It's somewhat out of character for you."

I think carefully about my next words before I speak. "I mean, so far, you've gotten the dinner part perfect. It's the talking part I'm worried about."

He lays his fork down gently onto the plate and wipes his lips with a napkin.

"I don't want to say the wrong thing." He adds softly.

"Why don't you try?" I reassure him. He takes a deep breath, and his eyebrows knit together.

"How about some dessert…I didn't make it, but it's delicious, I promise you," he rambles as he shoots up from his chair. He passes me as he heads for the kitchen again. This time, I reach out and grab his arm, stopping him.

"Talk to me, what's wrong?" I ask, pulling myself up from the table to block his path. "Why are you so distant? I thought…I thought you wanted this."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Bella. I'm not distant, and I do want this. I'm glad you're here," he responds with a small grin and pats my shoulder. He continues into the kitchen and returns quickly with what looks like cheesecake with strawberry topping. He's avoiding me, but I don't know why.

He cuts a slice of the cake and places it on a plate. He's moving around the room like he's been programmed. _What the hell is going on?_

"I don't know if you like strawberry cheesecake or not, even though we did have cheese pastry and strawberries before, but we had them separately, not together when we were in Paris." He pauses after his ramble and grips his hair. " Fuck!" he swears under his breath. "Bella, I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

"Edward, stop." I pull his hands away from his hair. "It's okay."

"No it's not okay, Bella. I can't do this," he says, pulling away from me and walking to stand in front of the window in the living room. He lets his forehead lean against the glass and inhales deeply.

"Can't do what?" I ask, following him.

"Bella, I'm trying, but it's so hard."

"Hard to be here with me?" I ask in a low voice.

"Yes! I mean, no. Shit! It's hard to not be with you."

"I don't understand, Edward. We're here…together."

"You don't understand. Do you have any fucking idea how torturous it is for me to be here in this house alone with you and not be able to touch you…to hold you….to kiss you….to….fuck!" he yells grabbing a hold of his hair again.

"Edward, I…"

"No! You listen to me…. please." I stop and let him continue. "I don't want to fuck this up, Bella. I know that in the blink of an eye I could say the wrong thing or touch you the wrong way, and that would be it. I want to change. I want to be better for you, Bella."

I remain quiet for a moment longer just in case he hasn't finished ranting. When I'm convinced he's run out of words, I walk over to stand closely behind him.

"I want to be better for you." He repeats calmly.

"I've never wanted you to change for me. I don't want you to change at all," I say, turning him around to face me.

"I didn't say that you couldn't touch me, Edward."

He reaches up with both hands and smoothes my hair down from the front, all the way down my back. I feel his fingers cautiously dancing on the small of my back. I instinctively move closer to his body, and he locks his fingers behind me.

"I know tonight was supposed to be about us talking things out, but I can't pretend that I don't want to be close to you, Bella."

"I can't pretend anymore either," I whisper and lean my forehead against his chest.

"Are you sure?" he asks, reaching in between us, lifting my chin to meet his gaze.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask breathlessly.

"I want to make sure this is what you want…that you won't go running away afterward…that you won't say this is a mistake. I don't think I can take it if you did that again," he murmurs, inching his lips closer.

"I won't," I breathe.

"I love you." He whispers and softly presses his lips to mine.

_I forgive you._

* * *

**_~~W~~_**

**Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	21. Chapter 21, Getting Reacquainted

**Chapter 21: Chapter 21**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: _****_I don't own Twilight or any of the characters._**

**BPOV**

We're both stretched out on his couch. I'm reclining in-between his legs, with my back resting against his chest. We've been in this position since he first kissed me after dinner. We'd made our way over to the couch and fed each other dessert. It's almost as if that dreadful incident in Paris had never happened. He's still being somewhat distant, but that will change once we start to trust again.

"Why didn't you want to kiss me when we first started seeing each other?"

"Huh?" he asks, sounding like I've distracted him. One of his fingers continues to twirl a lock of my hair; while his other hand plays idly with my fingers.

I repeat my question.

"I did want to kiss you." He lays a kiss on my temple.

"Do you not recall the incident on the yacht? I ask, turning over between his legs. I rest my chin on his chest so I can look directly into his eyes.

"I do recall it fondly, and I also recall some kissing going on," he says with another quick kiss to my nose.

"Edward!" I whine. "You know what I'm talking about. I want to know why?"

"Okay, fine you brat." He teases. "I knew if I kissed you that I would fall in love with you."

I blink at him twice before I realize that he's teasing me. "Oh, please, Edward Cullen. You are so full of sh…" He cuts me off, leaning in and tracing my lips with his tongue. He knows exactly how to cleverly dodge my inquisition. This is the first sexual gesture he's tried all evening, and I finally believe that we're going to be okay.

"I was starting to think that you no longer want me," I whisper as he drags his tongue slowly across my jaw and down my neck. Gently grasping my hair, he pulls my head back to get better access.

"You're diverting." I breathe more heavily, reacting to the sensation of his warm, wet tongue drawing circles on my throat.

"Mmhmm." He hums in response.

"Unh, you always do that." I moan. His other hand trails down to my ass and presses me against him firmly, and I feel his arousal full on. I moan again…this time deeply.

The position is awkward but is quickly rectified when he pulls me to straddle his lap. He sits up and kisses and sucks all of my sensitive spots. _God, I've missed this so damned much!_

I thread my fingers through his hair and pull his face back to mine to capture his lips, but he stills before my lips reach his.

"I want you," he murmurs hoarsely. "I want you so much."

"I want you too," I rush out almost inaudibly.

"Are you sure, Bella?" he asks, caressing and inching my hips closer to his.

I nod fervently, and his lips mold to mine once again.

.

.

.

**_EPOV_**

Tonight has been an extreme emotional rollercoaster. The whole nervousness, sweating palm thing is a foreign concept to me. I've wanted things to work out with Bella and me so badly that I psyched myself out.

I know how to be domineering and sexual, but being alone with her after not being able to be with her for these past weeks has been driving me insane. I had no idea how to act around her tonight. I was afraid to open my mouth. So, out of fear that she would bolt I decided to keep things light and easy, but failed dismally. I barely spoke throughout dinner and I knew she could sense my discomfort.

Bella knows just about every one of my emotions… and that's saying a lot, considering the short time we've known each other.

I was freaking out when she started asking me what was wrong, and I tried avoiding her question altogether, but she saw through it. Once I mentioned Paris, it was evident that I was ruining the entire night.

She surprised me by pushing all of that aside, allowing us to move on. We ended up on the couch, not saying much of anything, just innocently touching and caressing each other. It was like heaven finally…until she decided to break the silence.

I was expecting her to ask the obvious questions like _'where do we go from here?'_ or _'what do we do now?',_ but she confused the hell out of me by asking about the whole kissing thing. My answer was simple and honest, but I knew she wouldn't believe it, so I did what I knew she would believe. I let her know just how much I want her.

I'm done with trying to be someone I'm not. Too much time has been lost. I want her. I ask if she's sure and she nods, and _that_ is all I need.

"Fuck baby, I missed this so much." I growl, ripping open the front of her shirt and diving in to suck the swell of her breast. "Mmmm."

"Oh God, I missed this too." She pants breathlessly.

I slip my tongue beneath the lace of her bra and tease the erect peak with the tip of my tongue. I remove her shirt and toss it to the floor.

She starts to rock back and forth in my lap, letting me know she's ready. Yanking down her bra cup, I envelop her nipple in my mouth, sucking, blowing and flicking. She moans, and I feel a shudder from deep within her. I know that I could make her come from this act alone. She's the most responsive woman I'd ever been with, her sensitive parts are a bonus as well.

I slide my hands up her skirt and palm her ass, guiding her closer to my throbbing cock, still ravishing her breast. Her hips rock faster as I suck and lick harder.

_Yeah, definitely going to make her come like this._

I thrust my hips in unison with hers, and it feels simultaneously painful and perfect. _Fuck, I'm going to come like this!_

"Shit, I'm going to come, Edward. Don't stop!

"Ughhhh!" I let out a half growl, half groan and release her breast from my mouth. "You can't cum baby, not like this."

"What…why…why are you stopping?" she asks, almost horrified.

_Does she really think I wouldn't let her get a release? She must have forgotten who I am._

"I'm not stopping…believe me. This whole dry fucking thing feels amazing, baby, it does, but I need to be inside of you."

"Oh God, yes." She half groans and whispers

I wrap her legs around my waist and stand, walking us across the room and pressing her back against the wall. Her hands fumble getting my jeans and boxers down. Her warm, little hand brushes my cock, and I mumble a curse into the crook of her neck. I quickly reach back, and in one swift movement, roughly pull my t-shirt over my head. There's no time to undress her slowly and seductively. There'll be plenty of time for that later.

"Baby, I'm sorry," I grunt as I fist my aching cock and rub it along her damp panties.

"Unhhhh, ah!" she breathes raggedly. "Wh…why are you sorry?"

"We haven't been together in a while," I grunt and thrust as I fist the side of her lacy underwear in the other hand. "I'm sorry I can't slow this down or make it more romantic!" I grunt again and yank harshly. The ripping sound, along with Bella's yelp, echoes faintly.

I pull back to examine her expression, which is wide-eyed and open mouthed.

"I'm sor…"

Before I have a chance to finish the apology, her lips crash to mine, and I sink deeply into her body, my hips pumping frantically.

"Ah, ah, ah, ahhh!" She cries out with every upward thrust.

"Shit," I exclaim through gritted teeth, "you're so tight! It's been too long! Shit, how long has it been?" It is a rhetorical question, but she decides to answer.

"Three", _thrust. _"Ah!..fo-four weeks!" she gasps.

"I'm not going to last, fuck!"

Letting go of her ass, I brace my hands flat against the wall for leverage and pound into her slick wetness as if my life depends on it. I'm so far gone, lost in her that it takes a few moments before I recognize that I'm killing her back.

My pants and boxers are still around my ankles. I step out of them hastily and search the room for somewhere more comfortable for Bella. She senses this as well.

"The piano!" she blurts out hoarsely.

_Not exactly what I had in mind._

It's one of my most prized possessions, but fuck it, Bella means more.

_Piano she wants, piano she gets._

I smile deviously at her adventurous request and wrap one arm around her body, trapping it closely to me. I rip her away from the wall, slapping her on the ass with my free hand. She squeals as I stalk over to the baby grand. The movement forces her to shift, and I slip deeper inside her.

"Fuck! We whisper at the same time, before I spread her out across the hood and prop her legs to rest on the edge. I pull her closer to the ledge, loving the squeak her ass makes against the piano.

Her hair is fanned out above her. I've never noticed the reddish highlights before, until her rich mahogany waves are splayed against the shiny black lacquer. Her skin is flushed and her bra is lodged beneath her breasts, her skirt bunched up around her waist. She's never looked sexier.

"Christ, you look so beautiful like this," I say before pumping furiously again. Our bodies are being drenched with sweat as she clenches and squeezes me until I pulse violently inside of her.

"Oh...oh God!" she chants over and over, throwing her arm over her eyes.

My body is still tense as I hold myself deep inside of her, until every drop is drained. I've never come so hard and so long in my life.

Once my breathing finally regulates, I collapse onto Bella's stomach still breathing heavily. I can tell she's as exhausted as I am from the way her legs drop. Her feet hit the piano keys, making an awkward sound fill the room.

"Careful with the piano," I mumble against her skin and give her a light kiss. Still holding onto to her and keeping our connection, I lower us onto the carpet. She giggles and runs her fingers through my hair.

_Shit, she knows I love it when she does that._

"This isn't a mistake." I state.

"Unh-uh." She replies easily but still breathing roughly.

"No running away this time." I state once more.

"No one leaves." She repeats the words that I said to her some time ago.

I raise my head to look at her, but her eyes are closed. "Open your eyes," I command softly. She opens those incredible eyes that can nail me to a wall, and I know.

"No one leaves."

"Ouch!" she shrieks as I give one last thrust, jerking her body up the carpet.

My palms are braced on the floor with my body perched above her. Her legs are draped over my forearms when I abruptly stop.

"What's wrong baby? Am I being too rough?"

"No, I love your roughness, but the rug is rubbing my ass raw."

"Awe, baby," I add with a chuckle and flip us over so I can take the brunt of our lovemaking. She complies and raises my arms above my head, in the hope of keeping me from gripping her sore ass.

She grinds and rotates circles on my cock, in a slow and maddening rhythm.

"Oh shit baby, that feels so good!" I hiss and move my hips with hers…my rotations counter hers.

_Jesus!_

"Edward, please, faster…I'm coming!"

Even with the death grip she has on my wrists, I manage to get one hand free. I reach down and press my thumb to her swollen clit and swirl around it vigorously until she comes apart, screaming her orgasm into the darkness.

"That's fucking music to my ears." I growl and follow her with my own explosion.

She lazily rolls off me onto her back and yelps.

"Hold still. I'll be right back."

I remember Alice saying something about aloe plants she had bought while she housesat for me. I hurry to the kitchen, find the plant and break it, squeezing the liquid into my palm and rush back to Bella, who's lying on her stomach.

I kneel down at her feet and spread her legs slightly so I can fit comfortably between them. I lean down and gently brush my lips across the reddened area.

"Mmmm." She moans quietly as I continue placing kisses across her ass and lower back.

"Someday, I want to taste you all over," I whisper against her skin, before withdrawing and replacing my lips with my hands.

I gently soothe her with the aloe. I know that it will probably sting at first, but I hear that it makes burns less painful.

No matter how good the sex was, I feel guilty that I've hurt her by taking her roughly on the floor.

"What are you using on me?" she asks.

"Aloe." I answer without hesitation.

She hums in response.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." She peers over her shoulder at me. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and I'll be as good as new."

I finish massaging the aloe into her skin and move up to lie beside her, my head propped up on my elbow. I stare at her beautiful face and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What?" she asks with her eyes still closed. "I can feel you watching me."

"I'm just watching." I say modestly.

She cracks open one eye curiously.

"You're creepily sexy. Do you know that?"

I throw my head back and laugh loudly. "Why do you say that?"

"You just are," she laughs with me, "and I'm ridiculously exhausted," she concludes with a yawn.

I immediately stand up and reach for her.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to bed. I can't very well let you sleep on the floor in your condition," I say playfully. She agrees and gets to her feet. I lift her up into my arms and carry her upstairs.

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.

.

Morning comes way too fast. I stare at her peaceful face in the sunlight, wishing it still to be night.

"Bella?" I whisper gently in her ear. She moans softly, but doesn't wake. I smile against the warm skin of her shoulder and try again.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" she replies and stretches a little.

"Baby, I don't want to disturb you, but I wasn't sure if you had class or not today."

"Mmm…class?" "What day is it?"

"It's Monday, sweetheart." I chuckle at her sleepiness.

"No class," she mumbles and turns to snuggle close to me.

"Does this mean you're staying?"

"Are you trying to get me to leave?" she shoots back lazily.

"Not a chance in hell." I sigh contentedly and wrap my arms and legs around her, causing us both to moan at the same time. I trap her warm, soft body to mine, realizing that I want nothing to interrupt this paradise.

Unfortunately, I know it has to come to an end. My job's threatening to put a dampener on my morning arousal and eventually wins the battle.

I groan and reluctantly untangle our limbs.

"Baby, I have to go into the office. There are a few meetings I need to attend to."

"Boooo." She teases.

"I know, I know, but you stay and sleep in." I place another kiss to her bare shoulder and hop out of bed. "I'll try not to be gone all day," I conclude on my way to the shower. "Stop looking at my ass, Bella," I yell over my shoulder.

I hear her giggle, and she responds by yelling as well.

"I love you!"

"Ditto!" I reply shout over the noise of the shower.

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.

I breeze into my office, feeling like I'm on cloud fucking nine. James and my mother are already there, waiting for me.

"Great day for business isn't it?" I sigh happily, thinking of the gorgeous woman twisting nakedly in my bed sheets.

"You're in a peculiar mood." My mother squints at me cautiously.

"Bella?" James asks with a grin.

I grin back, but don't respond verbally.

"Oh for the love of…Edward please tell me…"

"Not today, Mother. We have a board meeting to get to," I interrupt and smile brightly at her, barely fazed by the onslaught I've almost received.

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.

.

We make our way to the conference room and sit silently, waiting for the rest of the members to arrive, when my phone buzzes. I glance over at it on the table and smile when I see Bella's name.

**_Coffee? - B_**

I quickly type my response and send it back to her.

**_I made some already. In the machine, just press the button. Love you. -E_**

I place the phone back down and look up to see my mom staring, quizzically at me.

My phone buzzes again, and I immediately pick it up to read the message.

**_Thanks, I'm sorry I'm bothering you in your meeting, but I can't find anything in this enormous kitchen. TTYL. I love you too. Bye. -B_**

I decide not to respond and to call her as soon as I'm done with my meeting.

"Bella?" James snickers, while reading over the latest oil contract.

"What are you, twelve? Shut up." I joke.

"Edward…" My mom starts, irritated.

"Dad's late. We should call him." I pointedly ignore her.

"Yeah, you know how he feels about tardiness." James counters sarcastically, never taking his eyes off the contract.

Suddenly, as if on cue, he saunters through the door, laughing with the rest of the board members.

"Good morning," he announces, taking his normal seat. "Let's get started shall we?"

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.

.

**_BPOV_**

"Damn it, I can't find a thing in this house," I say out loud.

I've already interrupted his meeting by stupidly calling and asking for coffee. Now I can't find the damned sugar. Edward Cullen is clearly a very organized, neat freak.

Last night was so…everything. I never expected it to end up this way. Dinner and talking everything out had been the initial plan, but who am I to complain about the outcome.

I go back to the fridge and peek inside, not sure what I'm looking for, but my eyes zero in on a bottle of honey. _Who keeps honey in the refrigerator?_

I shrug and grab the bottle and squeeze the contents into my coffee. "It will have to do." I sigh.

After drinking the worst coffee imaginable and showering, I decide to go grocery shopping to make an easy dinner for us. I know I have class in the morning and for the rest of the week, so I want to spend all the time I can with him.

Edward is a fantastic cook. Me? Not so fantastic. It will definitely be a challenge to sell the man on mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. _I think not._

"Okay chef Bella, let's see what you've got," I say, grabbing my keys and closing the front door behind me.

.

.

.

I finally arrive back at Edward's house and mentally curse myself. _Shit! I don't know the code to the gate._ I curse myself again, realizing that I'll have to bother him a second time. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, Bella._

I pull out my phone, ready to dial, but he beats me to it.

"Hey!" I answer a little too eagerly.

"Hey yourself." He chuckles. "You sound…hyper. What are you up to?"

"Oh, um I've just arrived back from grocery shopping. I wanted to get some things to cook you dinner."

"Oh really, I didn't know you cooked." He chuckles again.

"Um…I don't, but I want to do it for you since you're working and all, but Edward, I can't get back into the house."

"What…Why?"

"I don't have the code." I wince slightly at my stupidity.

He guffaws in my ear, and I feel my cheeks flame.

"Where are you right now?" he asks humorously.

"I'm sitting in my truck at the gate and stop laughing!"

"I bet you look like a lost little puppy…an adorable lost little puppy."

"You're funny…what's the code?"

"Guess."

"Edward!" I whine.

"Brown Eyes."

"What, Edward?" I sigh, beginning to get annoyed.

"The code is brown eyes."

I sit up in the seat and readjust the phone to my ear.

"Liar." I say, smiling.

"Go ahead and try it."

I reach out of the window to punch in the code, and low and behold, the gate slowly opens.

"Since when has this been the code?"

"Since now…baby listen, I'm going to be later than I thought. My meetings are running longer than anticipated."

His voice changes all of sudden, sounding solemn and exhausted.

"It's okay I know you're a big businessman." I taunt.

"Yeah…I'll see you later?"

"I'll be here."

The call ends and I decide on having peanut butter and jelly for dinner.

.

.

.

I rest in my cold, lonely, boring bed and stare at the ceiling. It's Thursday, and I haven't seen Edward since I left his house on Monday evening. He was pissed off that I wouldn't be staying the night. He's more pissed off that we haven't seen each other in a couple of days. We've talked for hours on the phone like teenagers and texted all day as well. He's insisted on coming over numerous times, but I've resisted knowing that I would never get any work done, let alone be able to rest properly. Between both of our jobs and school it's going to be tough to squeeze in personal time.

.

.

.

I'm walking along campus with two of my classmates, Peter and Charlotte, gossiping about methods for the demise of our professor. None of us are happy with the grade we received on our medical thesis.

"He needs his puny brain examined," Peter says, rolling his eyes for dramatic effect.

"Now Peter, I think professor Banner is a bona fide genius," I say honestly.

"A bona fide bonehead is more like it, and just because he's a genius doesn't mean he's right about everything, Bella."

I know I'm not going to win this argument, so I hold up both hands in surrender.

"I think you have a crush on him, Bella." Charlotte adds.

"What? I don't have a crush on him. He's like seventy, Charlotte."

"So, what are we going to do about this? I say as we head over to Starbucks before pulling an all-nighter of studying.

"My mom will castrate me if I flunk out of school, and losing my dick is non negotiable."

"Can we say drama queen, Peter." My voice drips with sarcasm.

"I am a queen," he says, tossing his non-existent long hair and batting his eyelashes suggestively.

Charlotte and I just shake our heads at him. Peter is gorgeous, amazing and obviously gay. Although, I can swear I've seen him grinding on the ass of random girls at campus parties. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe he is having an internal battle, or maybe he's bisexual; who knows. I love hanging out with him and Charlotte though. We're partners in class and usually always flunk out together, but we make sure to help each other when it comes time to cram and get those grades in order.

"By the way, you're not going to flunk out, and I'm not going to Starbucks. I work there, for Pete's sake. No pun intended." I finish with a smirk. That earns me another eye-roll. "Maybe we should go…"

"Hel-lo," Peter drawls seductively as the black Mercedes screeches in front of our path."

"Hey gorgeous," Edward says.

"Heyyy." Peter replies.

"Stop it," I shush Peter.

"Talk about _bone-a-fide…_ emphasis on the bone," he whispers.

"Do I have to put a muzzle on you?" I snap humorously.

"You could try it, doll face, but I'd probably demolish you're bony ass."

_Did I say I love Peter? Not._

"Hey," I say moving closer to the car, "what are you doing here?"

"Well this seems like the only way I can see you, so here I am. Are you mad?"

"Mad like a rabid dog," Peter adds with a mock snarl, and I reach behind me taking a playful swat at him that he effortlessly dodges.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Bella?" Charlotte purrs from behind me.

"Edward, this is Charlotte and Peter." I announce.

"Hey." He says simply with a huge smile and velvety smooth voice. I'm sure Peter thinks it's totally for him.

"So…am I going to get to spend some time with my girl tonight or not?" he says, emerging from the car.

"Mary, mother of sweet baby Jesus," Peter exclaims and steps back, obviously floored by Edward's appearance. He always has that effect on people when seeing him the first time…and the second time…hell and the third. Let's just say you never get used to looking at the man, especially when he's in his work attire and sunglasses…and a sleek black car. _Mary mother of…_

"Bella, if you don't spend some time with him, then I will."

"He's straight, Peter." I answer quickly.

"I'm straight too." He whines. "We can be straight together." He sighs dreamily.

I grab Edward by the arm and start back over to the car. "Let's get out of here before Peter drags your cute little butt to the other side." He walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for me.

"You're going to pay for that crack later, Brown Eyes."

"You're ditching us?" Charlotte asks, before taking a look at Edward once more. "On second thoughts, you would be a damned fool not to ditch, we'll save the notes for you," she says with a wave.

"Thanks guys." I say honestly.

"Yeah, thanks guys." Edward says with a panty-dropping smile and a wink as he floors the Mercedes out of the campus parking lot.

"You are such a flirt. I'm sure poor Peter is hyperventilating right now."

"I missed you," he ignores, reaching for my hand and bringing it to his lips. "Do you have to work tonight?"

"No, but I have a ton of homework to do. I'm flunking this course," I say, lacing my fingers with his.

"That's a bit premature, wouldn't' you say? Considering class just started about two weeks ago."

"I need to study." I state firmly.

"I just want to have dinner with you…well that's not all I want, but I'll settle for that right now."

"Okay." I feel guilty about not being able to give him more.

.

.

.

We arrive at a simple little Thai restaurant and order dinner. I'm not very hungry and all the garlic and spices wafting in the air is doing strange things to my stomach.

"So, what class are you flunking?" he asks, shocking me that he remembers.

"I don't want you to think I'm stupid," I blurt out.

"Bella," he warns with his eyebrows knitted together.

"Anatomy." I huff. "I'm not flunking it per se, but I can see myself struggling with it."

"Maybe I can help you with that," he says seriously, digging into his lo mien.

"Seriously what I need is a quiet place to study with no noise and no distractions." It sounds harsh but it's the truth. Edward's 'helping' would get me nowhere except into the bedroom or my bare ass on the rug or spread eagle across his lovely piano. And as much as I love sex with him, flunking this class is not an option.

"What are you doing this weekend?" he continues, ignoring me.

"Studying." I answer, slightly annoyed.

"Alright, so stay at my place this weekend, and you can study there…distraction free."

"Edward…"

"Please don't insult me, Bella. I know college is important, and I won't distract you. I just want to be with you. Even if I only get to steal a quick meal with you at that grotesque burger joint you love so much or hold you in my arms while you sleep. I want to be with you."

Now I really feel like shit.

"I'm sorry." I reach across the table to stroke his cheek.

"Don't be sorry, be agreeable." He gestures with his chopstick.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen."

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.

.

I'm sitting on Edwards couch with my feet tucked under my bottom, typing away on my laptop. He's kept true to his word and doesn't do a thing to distract me. Instead, he says he has a ton of work to do as well. He works at the dining room table, while I trash the living area with books, papers and snacks. My studying habits are disgusting but can be done no other way…efficiently that is.

Edward must have finished up his business calls without me noticing because the next time I do notice him, he's coming down the stairs, freshly showered in grey sweats and a black wife beater. He half smiles at me as he heads into the kitchen.

"Hey babe, are you hungry?" he calls from the other room, but I'm really not sure what he mumbles from that distance.

"Huh?" I ask, so he'd repeat himself.

He comes strolling back into the living room with a menu in his hand.

"I said you've been working non-stop without a break. Aren't you hungry?"

"Um…" I look around the room at my mess and the evidence of my vanished snacks. "I guess I could eat, but I can't stop, so it'll have to be something quick."

"Okay, " he replies, sounding a bit unhappy. "What would you like then…pizza, Chinese, Italian. I could make you a sandwich or something."

"How about some mac-n-cheese?"

"Sure, I'll start shredding the cheese."

"Nah, how about the box variety? I love that."

He's silent…which prompts me to raise my head from my laptop to look at him.

"You're kidding, right? A box, Bella?"

I nod my head with a smile. He rolls his eyes and turns back to the kitchen.

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.

.

After about twenty minutes or so, he reenters the room, balancing two steaming bowls, bottled water and a bottle of beer. He walks over to me and sets the bowl and water on the table in front of me, then returns to the other chair with his bowl in hand and starts to eat.

"Thank you."

He nods his response and continues eating. I look at him and decide this isn't going to work.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" he answers with a mouth full of food.

"Come here." Setting the bowl down, he advances. "Bring your food too."

"You want to eat mine too? He jokes.

"No silly, I'm taking a break, and I want you over here with me."

He slides behind me so I'm sitting in-between his legs and grabs his bowl to finish eating. I reach for the remote, turn on my favorite show and lean back while I eat.

"Jeopardy?" he asks, amused.

"Mmhmm."

I love the show but can never answer any of the damned questions. I think I just watch it to torture myself…not to mention, I have a strange infatuation with Alex Trebek. I like the show even more as I listen to Edward answer almost every question.

"What is World War two?" He answers.

"Who is Leonardo da Vinci?"

"What is the Sistine Chapel?"

"You're a nerd." I tease, whipping around to see his expression.

He responds with a kiss to my nose and continues being brilliant.

.

.

.

When we've eaten and Jeopardy finishes, I try to get back to studying…unsuccessfully of course.

"Ughhhh." I groan.

"I can help you if you'd like," he offers.

"Are you any good at anatomy?" I ask desperately.

"Oh yeah. I'm extremely good at anatomy." His voice drips with sex.

I arch an eyebrow at him and open my mouth, ready to protest, but am cut off.

"Easy there tiger, I did take anatomy in college. I'm more than qualified to help you."

"You took anatomy in college?"

"Well, I was pre-med before I changed my major to business. I think you can pretty much guess why."

_Jesus, he wanted to be a doctor, and his parents guilted him into taking business._

I know he isn't particularly thrilled to talk about his parents and the way they practically control his life, and to be honest, I'm not either. We need to get off the subject fast, before I never finish rewriting my paper.

"After watching you annihilate Jeopardy, I know you're more than qualified."

"Don't you forget it, baby," he snarks and rests his chin on my shoulder, reading my paper on my laptop.

"Are you always this cocky?"

"You love my cock." He snickers.

_And we're back._

"Sorry, baby, you walked into that one."

"And you loved making me pay for it," I say sarcastically as I start to type.

"I said you were going to pay for that gay crack you made. You missed a comma."

"Yes, Professor Cullen."

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.

**_TPOV_**

After my encounter with Edward I realize that I need to speak with someone who'd be an ally to me. Barry isn't getting back to me fast enough with dirt on Bella, and time is running out. The wedding is in two weeks, and no progress is being made.

I hurry down the hall and enter the office without waiting to be invited.

"We need to have a talk, Esme," I say, tossing my purse and jacket onto the chair. "This situation with Edward is completely ridiculous!"

"Tanya, I agree with you one hundred percent." She interrupts with her hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Believe me, I was mortified to hear what Edward did, and even more so when I spoke to him about it. He has gone completely off the deep end."

"Exactly. Oh my God, and I blame that _Bella_ for it! She's the reason why all of this is happening. I mean, really Esme, does she believe that she can truly be with a man like Edward! God, you should have seen her in Paris, picking out lingerie and what not for him! She has no clue how to make a man like that happy." I rant, while pacing back and forth. "And don't get me started on her appearance…jeans and goddamned sneakers, I mean, what kind of lady wears that shit?" I continue with a scoff.

"Tanya, please calm down. Honey, I know you're upset. I will sit down with Edward and straighten this whole mess out, but it's going to take some time."

"We don't have time, Esme. Did you know that girl lives here in Chicago!"

"No, I wasn't aware of that," she answers, shocked.

"Look, talking to Edward isn't going to suffice. He's a stubborn, bullheaded moose."

"What do you suggest we do, Tanya, hit him over the head, tie him to a chair and force him to listen to reason?"

I cock my head to the side, thinking about using those extreme measures to knock some sense into that thick skull of his, but decide to use a more effective method.

"I have a private investigator looking into this _Bella's _background." I blurt out.

"What?" Her eyebrows shoot up.

I can't believe she's acting surprised. She has to know that I'd do whatever it takes to correct this situation, no matter how severe the circumstances.

"Don't act so surprised. I know that you'd do anything to protect your son as well as the Cullen name and fortune. I'm simply trying to do the same, Esme."

"You're right, Tanya, and I do understand, but things with my children are a bit tarnished right now. I cannot be a part of anything that will upset Edward anymore than he already is. It will just be counter productive." She resumes shuffling papers on her desk, avoiding eye contact.

"Don't worry you won't have to lift a finger or risk hurting Edward. I'm taking care of everything. I'll be in touch," I conclude, gathering my belongings and leave the office.

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.

.

I'm sitting on the patio at a nearby coffee shop, waiting for my appointment to arrive. I check my watch again, becoming annoyed as the minutes tick away.

"Hey gorgeous," he breathes in my ear, causing me to whirl around in surprise, "this is a bit cloak and dagger, wouldn't you agree? I mean the whole dark shades and…"

"It took you long enough, Barry. What do you have for me?" I say, ignoring his sarcasm.

"Well, to be honest, nothing. Isabella Swan is squeaky fucking clean." He drags up a chair and sits across from me.

"What? Are you telling me you have nothing on her? It's been a fucking week, Barry you could have called me on the phone to tell me that!"

"Calm down and let me finish."

"Oh, you're finished alright. You're fired! I'll find someone else more qualified to get me what I need." I go to stand, and he grabs my wrist, halting my retreat.

"I'm the best, and you know it, Ms. Denali. Now, I said Isabella Swan is clean, but Charlie Swan on the other hand, is not." He smiles wickedly, sliding a folder across the table.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

***sigh* Oh Charlie what have you done?**

**Reviews are like oxygen to an author.**


	22. Chapter 22

** Chapter 22**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight._**

**_EPOV_**

"Fuck!" I curse, agitated. "Lauren, get James' ass in here now!" I spit into the intercom.

"Are you alright?" Bella asks.

"I'm just peachy," I respond and instantly feel guilty for inflicting my sour mood onto her.

She's sitting comfortably on the sofa in my office, working on her laptop. I suggested that we meet here after class so that we could spend some time together. After some unmanly begging she finally agreed.

I'm working on a deadline myself and realize I won't be getting out of the office anytime soon, not to mention the day I just spent arguing with Tanya and her parents. I'm wound up like a fucking clock and there are only two things that can settle my mood…. working, running on the treadmill or fucking. _Okay maybe three things._ Burning the midnight oil has won out.

I'm on my cell-phone barking out orders when James barges in. I quickly finish my call and wave him over.

"You summoned me? Hello there, gorgeous." He answers me then acknowledges Bella.

"If you're done flirting with my girlfriend, would you mind taking a look at this?" I snap.

"What's up his ass?" he whispers to Bella with a wink and a smirk. I watch, annoyed as she shrugs and goes back to typing.

"Nothing is up my ass, but I will definitely put my Italian loafer up yours if you do not get over here and take a look at this."

"God, you're cranky, when was the last time you…"

"Don't." I interrupt, knowing how he would finish that sentence.

He walks over, taking up residence on the edge of my desk and takes the paper from my outstretched hand.

"There is an anonymous buyer purchasing a fuck load of stock in Cullen Oil, like it's going out of style. Were you aware of this?" I ask, exasperated.

"Of course I didn't know about this, but give me moment to check a few things out. I'll need to go to my office for a bit."

"Alright." I run my hand through my hair, and I silently curse realizing it isn't long enough to grip anymore. _You just had to fucking cut it, asshole._

"Hey," I yell out before he can leave, "Chinese?"

"Hell yeah, and make sure you get extra dumplings with sauce this time. I'll be back in a minute."

"Ughhhhh!" I groan, plopping down onto the sofa next to Bella. I rest my head back and blindly grab her feet and place them in my lap. "I'm sorry baby, but it looks like this is as romantic as it gets."

"I don't mind. I love seeing you in arrogant businessman mode…it's very sexy."

"Please don't say sex…seriously." I sigh deeply when I feel her hand scratching my scalp.

"Okay, I won't say sex," she giggles."

I glance at her, and in a flash I'm on top of her and yank her pen out of her mouth.

"Oh my God, what are you doing?" she continues to giggle and squirm underneath me.

"Do you think I'm opposed to fucking you right here, in this office, on this couch, Bella? My patience is very strained when it comes to sex with you," I say slightly amused, but with a rough edge to my voice.

"You heard your brother. He'll be back in a minute," she whispers breathlessly as I raise her hands above her head.

"Do you think I'm opposed to fucking you on this very couch, knowing that he could come bursting through that door at any moment? The possibility of that makes it all the more erotic. Seeing how you would react."

I lean in to brush her lips with mine. "Would you blush profusely?'' I suck on her bottom lip, then the top one. "Mmmm…or would you be so lost and turned on that you'd let me keep drilling you from behind as he watched."

"Oh my God." She moans seductively. "Get up, Edward, before we do something that will leave us both embarrassed." She pushes me off her.

"Then don't say sex. I feel really insatiable right now, and I could fuck you up against that ceiling to floor window without a moment's hesitation."

She shakes her head, staring at me in disbelief and humor.

"You're no fun," I sigh, dragging myself off the couch.

"We can have fun later," she says, palming my ass. "Have I told you how sex…um I mean, gorgeous you look in those glasses? I'm definitely seeing my professor fantasy come to life in this office," she purrs, wrapping her arms around me from behind.

"Professor fantasy huh?" My curiosity is peaked. _ Me, ass naked wearing just a pair of wire frames, while Bella bends her perky little ass over my desk as I spank her cheeks bright pink for being tardy. I can definitely get into that._

"It sounds kinky to me," James says, reemerging from the hall and breaking me out of my reverie.

"Can you knock?" I ask, suddenly irritated that he interrupted a possible naughty student and strict professor quickie fuck.

"The door was open, bro. Where's the food?"

"Chinese okay for you?" I ask, turning to Bella. She smiles, giving me a thumb's up signal and goes back to typing.

"So, what did you find out?" I ask, tossing him a menu.

"It's nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over." He says sarcastically. "It's probably Mom, Dad or one of the board members. I'll handle it. You just worry about getting Victoria's family to trust in Cullen Oil."

"I know, but Tanya's parents are being difficult now that they know I called off the wedding. They're trying to do everything they can to block this deal with the Ashton group."

"I'll get Vic to convince her father that signing with Cullen Oil will be a better investment, and then the Denali's will have no choice but to jump on board."

"Let's hope you're right."

"I am, little brother, trust me." He concludes with a hand over his chest in mock sincerity.

"I'd rather trust a snake," I laugh. "But, I know you'll come through. Now, let's get to work."

.

.

.

**_BPOV_**

Edward follows James into his office to have a conference call, saying that he doesn't want to disturb me. I had initially thought it would be a bad idea to study in his office after class, but it's actually worked out. I get to spend time with him and watch him in business mode. The Edward I know is sweet, sexy and sometimes a pain in the ass, but watching him work is a treat. He's a ruthless businessman and it surprises me that he's so focused and successful at his age.

I'm getting comfortable as I finish my homework. We're waiting for dinner to be delivered and it seems to be taking forever, so I decide to shut my eyes for a moment just to rest. I lean my head back on the arm of the sofa and stretch out my legs. It feels so good to have some quiet time. Living with Sadie and Angela never allows for a dull or silent moment, not to mention Rose barging in and out anytime she feels like it. I relish times like these. If I'm not careful, I'll be snoring and drooling all over his office furniture in seconds.

I'm relaxing peacefully when I hear the door close. I peer out of one eye, thinking that it's Edward and James returning, but soon realize it's someone else entirely. I immediately shoot up and apologize.

"I'm sorry. I was just taking a break from studying." I have no idea why, or to whom I'm explaining myself. I guess I just feel weird being sprawled out in Edward's office with my shoes off, the evidence of my homework strewn all over the place.

"No apologies are necessary. Although, I feel like I should apologize for startling you, I am sorry," he says with sincerity and smiles. It dawns on me that I'm speaking to Edward's father. I remember him from the photograph on his piano. _Oh the piano. Shit! Focus, Bella!_

"I'm Carlisle Cullen…and you must be Bella."

I nod and inwardly chastise myself for acting like a five-year old child who's afraid to talk to strangers.

"Yes, I'm Bella." I finally get out.

_Great, now I sound like a damned robot._

"I've heard a lot about you, but it's nice to finally put a face to the name. My son seems to be very taken with you."

"I'm taken with him as well," I say shyly and feel my cheeks warm.

"I have to assume that you two are more than just hanging out, for a lack of better words." He makes air quotes to emphasize 'hanging out'.

"Mr. Cullen, I care very deeply for your son. I know this is a bit of a surprise to you and your family, but I can assure you that I truly care for him…I love him." I finish in a near whisper.

"Stop me if I'm being too bold, Bella, but how long have you known my son?"

I know what he's getting at, and I'm not going to back down. I love Edward even though our relationship has happened rather spontaneously.

"Edward and I have been involved for about three months now."

"Three months," he repeats and takes a seat on the edge of Edward's desk. He pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.

"Mr. Cullen, I know I'm not the ideal choice for Edward, but I do love him, and I would love the opportunity to get to know his family, and for you all to get to know me. And I can promise you that I would never do anything to bring harm to him or your family," I respond, hoping he sees my sincerity.

He nods his approval and smiles. This doesn't seem like the same man that Edward has described to me. There's almost a hint of compassion behind his brusque exterior.

"I can see why Edward cares for you. You have fight in you. Don't lose that quality," he says sternly. "Well, since you two are official, I hope you that will be attending the banquet with Edward this weekend, Bella."

"Banquet?" I ask, bewildered.

"Yes, it's a black tie annual event for socialites and business partners. We would love to have you there," he concludes as he leaves the office.

I pace back and forth, biting my nails to the nub. _Great Bella, now you know there's no way you can attend an event like that with nails that look like they've been shredded in a meat grinder. _I quickly yank my fingers from my mouth as my mental berating registers.

_Why the hell did he invite me to dinner? Is this all a trick…some sort of ploy to embarrass me…to prove that I'm unworthy of his son?_

_._

_._

_._

My mental obsessing continues until I find myself pacing again, this time, in front of my bedroom mirror. I cautiously steal glances at my reflection, trying to picture myself in a fancy gown and deathtrap shoes. "Forget it, Bella," I snort out loud.

I walk over to my bed and throw myself backwards on it in disgust.

This is the part of Edward's life that scares me to death. Things are just starting to run smoothly for us, and now it's all going to be corrupted by fancy dinner parties and elbow rubbing with bourgeois people.

_We are just getting back on track after all the lies and separation and…._"drama!" I shout out loud and grip my hair roughly.

Edward's family is extremely wealthy, and I have no doubt that there will be nothing but wealthy people at this event. Edward hasn't personally asked me to attend and that worries me. I know that according to his parents, I'm not the ideal choice for him, but why didn't _he _ask me to the dinner? Maybe he truly believes that I wouldn't fit in. Maybe he believes that I truly do not belong in his world…that I'm not good enough.

I haven't given Edward's father an answer. Hell, it didn't really sound like a proper invite. '_I hope you will be attending the banquet with Edward this weekend, Bella. We would love to see you there.' _He didn't wait for a response. He just smiled a brilliant smile and walked away, leaving me gaping.

Completely surprised and unsettled, I left Edward's office in a hurry, not waiting for him to return.

I glance over at my phone that's resting on my pillow. I grab, it ready to call him and apologize for leaving so abruptly without saying anything. I notice that there are already several missed calls from him. I huff and hit the call button.

"Hello? What happened? Where are you?" He snaps at me, his voice sounding urgent and anxious.

"I'm home. I'm sorry I left before you came back."

"Why did you leave? What did my father say to you, Bella? I swear to God if…"

"It's okay. He didn't say anything…well, he said some things but nothing disrespectful…actually, he was rather respectful. I realized that I have to head to the library to pick up some books." I lie.

"Are you sure you're okay? You sound funny."

"I'm fine. Stop worrying. I'll talk to you later."

"Hey…I love you,"he says reassuringly.

"Love you too."

I end the call and throw my arm over my eyes. I have no idea whether I should mention this to Edward or not. One would think he already knows, but he still hasn't said anything.

Why do I feel that if I attend this thing I'll be walking into an ambush?

"Let's go!" my door slams open. "Frisbee with Sadie in two minutes. I need to burn off some energy," Angela says. She's just a little too hyper for my current mood.

I raise my head a bit, peeking from under my arm. "Are you serious?"

"Well, by the look of you, it seems that you could use the distraction. Besides, I've got dirt on Mike, and I need to vent, now come on!" She yells, trotting out of my room.

At least I can forget about my problems for a minute or two by listening to somebody else's. What do they say about misery again?

.

.

.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or are you going to continue to stand there chewing your finger off," he asks, while effortlessly running at speed on the treadmill.

My head jerks up in his direction as I realize he's spoken. I simply wave him off.

"I'm fine."

"Okay. Have it your way, Bella."

I just focus on him; he's wearing black Adidas ball shorts, with matching running sneakers. He's drenched in sweat and exhaling rhythmically as he works out. His abdominal muscles flex and contract with each movement. _What the hell was I just obsessing about?_

"I love when you look at me like that…like I'm something to eat." He smirks as he catches me shamelessly ogling him.

I roll my eyes, and there's a knock at his front door.

"Can you get that? It's a surprise for you," he says, turning down the speed to a walking pace.

"What surprise…what have you done, Edward?"

"Answer the door and stop being so damned suspicious."

"Suspicious? Look at who I'm dating?" I retort sarcastically.

Stopping the treadmill, he walks over to me and wraps his towel around my neck, pulling me into a chaste kiss.

"Answer the door," he whispers against my lips, "or I'll get you soaking wet! he yells, shaking his head violently as he flings sweat at me.

"Okay!" I shriek, tearing away from him and bolting for the door.

"Have fun with your surprise!" he yells from behind me.

I reach the door and enthusiastically wrench it open. Alice is standing in the doorway, clad in dark shades and swinging car keys from her index finger.

"Surprise!" she says calmly, with that signature Cullen smirk.

.

.

.

Alice convinces me to go out to lunch with her. I have no idea why Edward thought to surprise me with this, but I'm happy to be spending time with part of his family.

We decide on eating at an upscale country club that Edward and his family regularly attends. It's beautiful and elegant. Of course, I feel completely out of place.

I modestly order my lunch and probably stare way too much at the rest of the dining guests. My palms are starting to sweat, and I notice myself repeatedly gulping from my glass of water. _If only that damned waiter would stop refilling the glass!_

"Are you alright, Bella?" she asks inquisitively.

"Oh…yeah. I 'm okay." I lie as she pulls me from my thoughts. I watch her closely as she talks about everything at warped speed. I hope she's not asking me any questions because I'm too focused on her appearance and how sophisticated she is to register anything she's saying. I watch how she gestures with her delicate looking manicured French tipped fingers when she describes certain details about her life. I do manage to pick up that she's interested in interior design; that is, when I'm not paying attention to how beautiful and silky her hair looks. _ God it's like diamonds when the sun shines through it._

Instinctively, my hand goes up to blindly examine a loose lock of my own hair. "So, Bella, what do you say?"

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and look at her in confusion. " I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"You weren't paying me any attention, were you?"

"I…"

"It's okay," she interrupts, "I've been told that I talk a lot."

"No, it's me. I just have a few things on my mind…school and all," I lie again.

"Well, I was saying, since you're coming to the banquet with Edward this weekend, we could go shopping together after lunch for our gowns. Edward said to spare no expense, so we're going to swipe the magnetic strip right off of his credit card." She giggles.

My eyes widen as I realize that he's aware that his father asked me to the dinner this weekend. In fact, he basically told his family that I would be coming, and just innocently forgot to ask me if I would go. To top it off, he's told his sister to spend obscene amounts of money on me without consulting with me first. _Damn you, Edward Cullen!_

The last thing I want is his family thinking that I'm with him for his money, and he just committed the ultimate fuck up. I will not be bought. I will not be bullied, or charmed into being bought. The more I think about his scheming, the more pissed off I become.

I excuse myself from Alice, lying that I have some project to complete and that we'd talk about shopping later. I have a bone to pick with Edward Cullen, and it can't wait.

.

.

.

I'm fuming, and I drive to his office like a mad woman. _How dare he set me up! _ For a split second, it seems quite juvenile to be so angry at him for wanting to buy me a dress and wanting me on his arm at an important and elegant dinner. _A girl could do a lot worse than having a gorgeous, sexy man wanting to give her the world and show her off. "_Oh shut up!" I berate myself loudly.

I arrive at Cullen Oil offices and slam on the brakes, not caring that I'm in someone's designated parking space. I tear out of the car, slam the door without locking it and rush up to his office. His secretary looks at me like I'm deranged.

"Is he in?" I snap at her. _ So what… she doesn't like me anyhow!_

I don't give her time to answer as I knock once and wrench the door open.

"You bastard!" I seethe. He looks up from his desk with his eyebrows knitted together. He slowly removes his glasses and opens his mouth to speak.

"Don't!" I yell, holding my hand up to stop him. "I will not be bought!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asks, obviously puzzled. "How did your day with Alice go?"

"My day was going fine, until I found out the true reason behind it."

"Okay," he says, emphasizing 'ay'. _Smug bastard._

"Fine, you want to play games, Edward? Let's play. I am not going to be told what to do; not by you, your father or your sister. I will not be attending the dinner this weekend either, so find someone else to accompany you!" I turn to storm out of the office, but he's behind me quickly me and softly shuts the door.

"I'm sorry." He slides his arms around my waist and gently kisses my ear, and I melt at the husky tone of his voice.

"Why couldn't you just ask me to go like a normal guy?" I sigh in defeat.

"I'm not normal." He counters.

"Edward." I say, annoyed.

"I was getting around to it, I swear. I thought this way would be more romantic." He poses his response more like a question. "I wasn't trying to buy you. Alice said she was thinking about asking you out to lunch so you two could get to know each other and she thought it would be the perfect time to go shopping or whatever. She assumed that I had already asked you to the banquet and ran with it."

I feel myself relaxing into his embrace as he sways our bodies back and forth.

"Why are you really so pissed off with me, Bella? Because it seems that you're reaching for any reason to be angry with me these days. Is it about the dinner or about me spending money on you?"

"I don't want your family to think I want your money." I mumble and sniff. I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

"I don't give a damned about what my family thinks. Bella, look at me." He spins me around to face him. "Bella, will you come to the banquet with me this weekend?"

My bottom lip quivers, and I immediately break into tears. "I can't!"

"That wasn't the answer I was hoping for, baby. Why can't you?"

I can't believe I'm standing here sobbing over a dinner. I've gone from happy this morning too being pissed and now to being a blubbering mess. What the hell is wrong with me? Ever since Edward's father mentioned the dinner, my emotions have been all over the place. How the hell do I explain to Edward that I feel too out of place to be around his family and the tons of uppity people that will be there? I think back to the people who were dining at the country club and how elegant and sophisticated they are. I can't compete with people like that, and I'm sure to embarrass him.

I sniff and raise my head to look at him. He's still waiting on me for an answer. I don't know what to say, so I do the next best thing. I lie.

"My legs are short," I croak.

"What?" He snorts and chuckles, taking a step back to inspect my form. "Your legs are…"

"My legs are short! She said I was short." I ramble. "I'm going to look terrible in a gown because I'm too short!"

"Wait…who said you're too short…Alice?"

I blink at him and think about my outburst. _Yep, you said it idiot!_

"Tanya." I answer in a mouse like voice.

"What? When the hell did you talk to Tanya? You know what, it doesn't really matter. Your legs are gorgeous and sexy, and I want you to come with me to the banquet."

"You said I was scrawny." I blurt out.

"Are you serious right now? I didn't mean it like that. I simply meant…" He pauses as if he's thinking of the right thing to say. "Who cares what I meant, I'm an idiot sometimes, you know that. I want you to come to the banquet with me, and I'm not taking no for an answer, Bella."

When I realize that my half-witted excuses didn't work, I decide finally, that I need to be honest with him. I walk over to the window and stare out.

"You deserve better," I murmur.

"Bella." He warns.

"You deserve someone who can keep up with you, Edward. Someone you can bring to a function like this and be proud of. I can't even afford to buy a dress, let alone the rest of the things I'll need to be an appropriate date for you."

I exhale and lower my head, pretending to be engrossed in the people walking by on the sidewalk.

I hear a drawer open and close, and I turn around to look at what he's doing. He's been silent during my confession and that worries me. Edward is only quiet when he's plotting and scheming, or so I thought.

He walks over to stand beside me and mimicking my position, he stares out of the window. I glance at him surreptitiously and see his jaw clenching repeatedly and a small vein visibly throbbing above his temple. He's angry. I've never witnessed him in this state, so calmly angry. Normally when he's mad, he rants and even throws things.

"You're going to that banquet with me." He says calmly and seriously.

"Edward…"

He turns and places a finger over my lips, silencing me. "You're going to that banquet, and I won't listen to anymore of you putting yourself down." He replaces his finger with his lips and kisses me softly. "There are going to be tons of events like this, and I want you next to me at each and every one of them, and not as my date, but as the woman I love."

"You can't say stuff like that to me." I tear up again. "I have no fight left in me when you say stuff like that."

"Then don't fight. Say you'll go with me?" He cups my face and brushes my tears away with his thumbs.

"Do I have a choice?" I laugh tauntingly. "You basically _told_ me I was going."

"This is true," he quips. "But I would love to hear your concession."

I roll my eyes and massage his temple, trying to alleviate the stress vein. "Yes, Edward. I'll go with you to the banquet."

"That's my brown eyed girl," he says, kissing me quickly on the nose. "Now, I have something for you." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a black credit card. I widen my eyes in protest.

"I want you to take this and buy whatever you need or want. Buy whatever you need or want." He reiterates when he sees me shaking my head. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on, and now it's time to show the world. Take it."

I tentatively reach for the card and slowly withdraw it from his fingers. His smile spreads as the card slowly leaves his grasp.

"I have three words for your leg dilemma." He grins wickedly.

"What?" I ask with an arched brow.

"Fuck me heels... at least four inches." He whispers and waggles his eyebrows.

I shake my head at him incredulously as I watch him stroll confidently to the door.

"For the record, Bella, if I were trying to buy you, I would have started with replacing that beast of a truck," he says with a wink and continues out of the door.

"Hey." I whine in shock. "Don't diss the truck!" I yell after him.

.

.

.

Two days later, I find myself standing in front of a mirror in what Alice refers to as the 'most elegant store in all of Chicago'. Alice and Angela have hit it off so well that she drags her out of the house, telling her that she needs her opinion on dresses. She also promises to introduce her to James if she comes along with us. That's enough to get Angela running out of the door.

We must have tried on at least fifty dresses, and I haven't found one I like. I don't know what color looks best, or if I should choose strapless or short. I'm not good at these types of things, but Alice and Angela seem to be having a ball.

Alice has chosen a black halter chiffon gown with extremely high, black heels. She twirls and bunches her long, flowing locks on top of her head as she admires the way her neck and shoulders will look if she wears her hair up. They both clap and squeal, marveling at how fabulous she looks. I'm holding up a red spaghetti strapped gown in front of me, trying desperately to make this _the _gown, but it isn't working. I huff and stomp my foot in irritation, which gets their attention.

"Bella! Oh my God! Red is too harsh for you, and you should definitely be going with strapless." Alice chastises and yanks the dress from my grasp.

"I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not going." I plop down on the dressing room chaise.

"You _are _going. My brother would have cow if you didn't. It'll be fine, Bella. We'll help you. My God, is she always like this?" she asks, turning to Angela.

"Sorry, but she is." Angela shrugs. "Oh wait, I saw a dress on the way in that looked perfect for you, Bella. I'll have the store manager bring it in," she says, bouncing out of the room.

"You're nervous aren't you?" Alice says, sitting next to me.

"Is it that obvious?" I scoff and brush a strand of hair away from her eye. "You have very beautiful hair. I bet everyone there will have beautiful, luxurious hair and long legs and…damn it! I'm so in over my head." I complain as I stand to pace in front of her.

"Is that what your issue is? You think you won't measure up?" she sighs and stands in my path. "Bella, I'm not going to lie to you. My parents are snobs. Everyone there will most likely be snobbish."

"Thanks for not sugar coating it, Alice." I interject. "You've made me feel a lot better."

"All I'm saying, is that I know it will be a different scene for you, but you'll have me with you if you start to feel awkward. I'm just a tiny bit snobbish," she finishes with a chuckle that makes me laugh as well. "Don't worry. I'm going to make sure you're beautiful. Angela seems determined to make that happen too. I like her." She whispers and nudges my shoulder. "I think she'd be perfect for James."

"Well, she's definitely asking about him."

Angela comes dancing back into the room with the most gorgeous gown and matching lingerie. My mouth falls open, and Alice squeals again.

"I know, isn't it perfect for her?" Angela joins in with the squealing._ How old are we again?_

"Here, Bella, and you have to try the lingerie on too." She pushes me into the dressing room. _Is that even legal or sanitary?_

I fumble with the device that's supposed to suck in my abdominal area completely and give me an hourglass figure. I soon realize that this is the most ridiculous contraption ever invented for a woman.

"I can't get this thing on!" I shout from behind the door.

"It's a corset." Angela confides to Alice.

_Corset? What are we, in the 1800's?_

"Angela, what the hell is this?" I whine. "Help me."

"Jesus, Bella, you're such a baby. Come out here."

"What? I'm practically naked"

"Bella, we're the only ones here and unless you have a penis between your legs, I'm not remotely interested in checking you out. Now come out of there and let us see." Alice snaps. _Okay, so she's getting annoyed._

I stomp out of the room like a six-year old, which elicits an eye roll from the two of them. They both stand behind me and tell me to brace my hands on the wall, while one buttons and the other pulls the satin strings to tighten it. It doesn't feel as bad as I heard it does, but it definitely has my boobs sitting up on display.

As they finish buttoning and tying the corset, I'm pushed in front of the mirror to examine myself.

"Oh my Gosh!" I gasp.

"Oh my Gosh is right," Angela adds. "Are you gaining weight, Izzy B?" she asks, smiling with her hands on her hips.

I whirl around, mouth and eyes wide and gasp once more.

"Wha..what are you talking about?" I shriek, completely aghast and instinctively pat my stomach and waistline, checking for bulges.

"Calm down, Bella, I just meant your boobs look fuller, that's all."

"It's the corset right…Alice?" I panic, still groping my body and examining certain parts of myself.

"Well, the corset does give you extra lift. You look amazing."

I give a nervous laugh and turn to look at myself in the mirror.

"Yeah, but I've noticed lately that your boobs are getting fuller and your hips are spreading a little. It looks good on you though," Angela mentions.

"My hips are spreading?" I ask in confusion. For a moment, I look like Sadie chasing her tail as I try to examine myself from behind.

"Are you trying to give the girl a heart attack? Don't worry, Bella, I happen to know that my brother is an _ass man._"

_Edward's an ass man? Wait, my ass is getting bigger too?_

"Oh my God, I'm not going," I blurt out and try to duck into the dressing room, but they jump in my path.

"Put on the damned dress," they say in unison.

"Fine! Way to gang up on me, guys." I snatch the dress and step back behind the door.

Finally, I'm wearing the dress, and I have to admit that it feels amazing against my skin.

"Bella, come on, let us see," Alice sighs impatiently from behind the door.

I step out and watch as their eyes stretch in amazement. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, so I quickly go to the mirror and assess the damage. I'm surprised to see that there's no damage at all. Actually, I think I look rather pretty.

"Oh my God you look like a princess, Bella." Alice says dreamily.

"She's right. Edward is going to die," Angela adds.

I stare in the mirror at the pale pink silk, strapless gown and agree with them. I love this dress, and I hope Edward will too.

.

.

.

After selecting the perfect jewelry, shoes and getting spa treatments, Alice drops Angela and me off and tells me she'll call me in the morning. We drag our bags into the house and head to the kitchen to make a quick snack.

"So, that was fun, and I really like Alice."

"Yeah, she's great," I say, holding my stomach. I've been feeling a little nauseous ever since we left the dress store. We didn't really eat anything, so maybe I need some food.

Angela's talking is starting to sound like I'm going through a tunnel. I can feel my heart racing, and l feel faint.

"Bella, you want Sloppy Joes?"

"Oh! I'm going to be sick," I mumble through my hand and shoot up from the table, bolting up the stairs to the bathroom with Angela right on my heels.

Once I've emptied the contents from my stomach, I close the lid of the toilet and cross my arms, resting my head on top. My mind dredges up thoughts…thoughts I don't want to have. It's September, and I started having sex with Edward in July. _Oh God!_

"Oh no! No, no, no, no!" I gasp.

"Bella are you okay?" Angela appears at the bathroom door.

I look at her, eyes wide with anxiety and shake my head violently. I can tell by the concerned look on her face that she's made the connection and that she shares my thoughts.

"My boobs are getting bigger."

"Bella?"

"My hips are spreading?"

"Bella…"

"I'm throwing up and getting nauseous at the mere mention of food…my favorite foods, Angela!"

"Bella, you're just stressed out with everything that happened in Paris and now school…it's stress," she reasons, but she doesn't know. How could she?

"We stopped using condoms. Oh my God, how could I have been so stupid?" I whisper to myself.

"Bella, listen to me," she kneels down beside me, "it's going to be okay, but let's not jump to conclusions. The first thing we have to do is calculate. Have you missed a period?"

"No." I answer quickly.

"Okay, um… you said you and Edward stopped using condoms. How long ago did you guys stop?"

"I don't know. I don't remember. I think…" Then it dawns on me…Edward's voice asking me if I'm on the pill. _Paris!_

"Oh no…no, no, no!" I chant with my hand covering my mouth.

"Bella! How long?" she asks nervously.

"I know for sure we didn't use them in Paris, but I can't be sure if…damn it! I can't think, I don't remember! " I turn to her with pleading eyes. "Angela I can't be preg…"

"Don't say it. We have to get you a preg… a test," she hesitates, not wanting to say the word. "Let's go to the pharmacy right now." She tries to pull me up from the floor.

"I can't move, Angela. I can't think. I can't do this!"

"Okay, you stay here, I'll be back as quickly as I can."

"Okay."

I remain sitting on the bathroom floor, trying to understand how this could have happened. _You know exactly how it happened._

"Oh God," I exhale looking up at the ceiling for some kind of sign that this is a dream that I'm trapped in. I scramble to my feet and slowly walk to my bedroom, clutching my stomach the whole time.

This is not happening. How could I have gotten so swept up in my relationship with Edward that I completely forgot about birth control? Technically, I hadn't forgotten. I had gone to see my doctor before I went to Florida with concerns about the pill I had been taking. My menstrual flow had been excessive and he told me to stop taking them. He prescribed a new pill regimen for me to start the following week. Switching up the pills must've screwed with my hormones or something and now….

"Oh my God!" I yell, gripping my hair. Thoughts of me waddling with a plump belly and swollen ankles, images of me screaming in labor and pushing a baby stroller, while trying to balance my medical books in my arms, race through my head. I cringe at the thought of me being someone's mother. I'm not ready; I'm only nineteen, for crying out loud.

I wring and shake my hands as I wear a hole in my bedroom carpet.

"Where the hell are you, Angela?" I impatiently wonder out loud, knowing full well that she hasn't even pulled out of the garage yet.

Just then, my phone buzzes, and I jump as it scares the shit out of me. Without a moment's hesitation, I snatch it up, not checking the caller id.

"Angela?" My voice sounds desperate.

"It's me, Brown Eyes. What's wrong?"

It's happening again…the nausea, the sweating, and the heart racing. _Oh no!_

"Edward, oh God." I retch and drop the phone, running back to the bathroom.

"Bella?" I hear him call, while I run to the bathroom.

This time I remain on the bathroom floor, clinging to that toilet bowl as if my life depends on it. I need to call Edward back. I know he's probably freaking out and is on his way, flying over here as soon as I dropped the phone. The last thing I want is him barging in and stumbling in on me peeing on a stick. _Jesus Christ, how did I get into this mess?_

_._

_._

_._

I hear the door slam, and I panic. Angela's hurrying up the stairs as I get up to retrieve my phone. I hurriedly dial Edward, and he answers before it even has a chance to ring.

"What the hell is going on, Bella? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Edward. I just..."

"I'm on my way over there."

"No! I just ate something bad, and I was feeling queasy. I'm fine."

"Bella I got the…"

"Shhh!" I silence Angela, and cover the mouthpiece of the phone so that Edward doesn't become more suspicious.

"Edward, I'm fine. I swear. I'm just going to take a warm bath and get into bed. I'll call you later. Bye." I rush him off the phone.

"Did you get it?" I ask anxiously.

"I bought three just to make sure." She hands me the bag.

I grab the bag and lock myself in the bathroom. I don't mean to be so rude, but if I know Edward, he's still on his way, and I need to hurry. I open the first box with a deep breath and swiftly read the instructions.

Three minutes have gone by since I sat the test on the sink to wait. Angela keeps asking every five seconds what it reads. Finally, I grab it without looking at it and open the door.

"Well?" she asks.

"You read it, I can't." I thrust it into her midsection.

She takes it from my hands and glances down, then slowly looks back up at me.

I can't read her eyes. I don't want to. I just wish that she'd blurt it out like ripping off a bandage.

"It's negative." She sighs with relief.

My head falls back and hits the wall with a thud. I thank the heavens and swear that for as long as I live, I will never have unprotected sex again …or until I'm married.

I'm relieved, but not completely satisfied so I take another test and the results are the same. So what the hell is wrong with me?

There's banging at the front door, and I hear Edward's voice call my name. I quickly clean up the boxes in the bathroom and send Angela to let him in. I hear him frantically asking her if I'm alright and telling her that I kept hanging up on him. Angela's tough, but I know she doesn't stand a chance if I don't save her soon. After making sure all of the evidence is safely put away, I make my way down the stairs.

"Bella, tell me what the hell is going on, right now," he says sternly.

"I told you. I ate something bad. I'm sorry I hung up on you, but I wasn't feeling well."

He walks over to me and feels my forehead. "Are you a doctor now, Edward?"

"Awww." Angela coos. I give her the death stare, and she excuses herself, saying she has homework to do.

"I'm not a doctor, but any capable person can tell when someone has a fever."

"Okay doctor, do I have a fever?" I ask sarcastically.

"No, but I'm staying the night to take care of you."" He picks up his car keys and heads to the door.

"Where are you going?" I ask, confused.

"I'm going to the grocery store. I know you probably only have boxed Mac-n-cheese and some cola in here. I'll make you some soup and get you some ginger ale. Go and get into bed."

"I'm not a baby, you know."

"Bed, Bella." He orders.

"Yes, Dad." I sigh heavily. _Well, at least you know he would've been a good father. _

I turn to head back up the stairs, but not before calling my doctor to make an appointment. I have to find out what the hell is going on with me.

.

.

.

We arrive at the Cullen mansion, and I'm stunned to say the least. Edward's house is gorgeous, but there are absolutely no words for his parent's house. It's breathtaking. _I guess there are words, after all._

"Have I told you how incredibly beautiful you look?" He leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Um, I think you mentioned it a few times when you picked me up," I say nervously.

"A few times huh? Then I haven't told you nearly enough." He laces his fingers with mine as we enter.

"You look amazing too," I say, squeezing his hand affectionately.

He really does look amazing in all of his Armani glory. He wears his thin wire frames, saying he doesn't feel like putting in his contacts, but I suspect he knows just how hot he looks in them. His hair is still spiky from being cut, his sideburns perfectly shaped, but he isn't completely clean-shaven, which I love.

Alice greets us as we make our way in. I'm surprised there isn't a butler or someone answering the door.

"Oh my God, you look so terrific, Bella." She grabs me in a bear hug and kisses my cheek. "You look good too, brother," she finishes dryly.

"Thanks, Smidge." He rolls his eyes and kisses her forehead. "Is James here yet?"

"No, but did you know that he's bringing Victoria?"

"Alice, are your brothers here yet?"

Before she has a chance to answer, Edward's father interrupts by walking in, looking extremely handsome; and extremely young. Like Edward, he's in a black tuxedo with his blonde hair combed back neatly.

"Edward I didn't see you there," he continues, placing a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Bella, welcome, you look extraordinary," he says with a wide smile and leans in to kiss my cheek.

_Okay this is weird._

"Thank you for having me, Mr. Cullen." I reciprocate, politely.

"Please call me Carlisle," He says, scrunching his face up at my misuse of his name.

"I'm sorry…Carlisle." I correct. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you, Bella. Although, I can't take any of the credit, my wife did all of the decorating. I look forward to getting to know you better, Bella, and please enjoy yourself," he finishes as he goes to greet the other arriving guests.

"See, you have him wrapped around your finger," Edward says sarcastically. "Should I be worried?" He taunts.

I simply smile as he leads me into the dining area.

Everything seems to be going smoothly. I watch as guests fill the room and greet the Cullen family members, one after the other. James has finally showed up with Victoria on his arm. I'm glad Edward had prepared me for her being here. I knew that it would be awkward after the incident between them in Florida, but I reassured him that I've put it behind me. I was concerned about Tanya being here, but he told me the Denali's wouldn't be attending. Edward said there would be questions about what happened with the wedding and speculation about our relationship once people see us together. That part scares the hell out of me, and also the fact that I haven't seen or met his mother yet.

As if on cue, she comes breezing into the room. She looks like royalty in an all white, beaded gown. Her beautiful, red locks are pinned up into a twist with loose bangs tumbling just above her eyelashes. In a word, she's flawless. She's wearing a radiant smile as she approaches us, and I feel myself fidget.

"You must be Bella," she says sweetly and leans in to kiss my cheek. I realize that this must be how his entire family greets everyone.

"Bella, this is my mother, Esme," Edward adds as he kisses both of her cheeks.

"Hello. It's very nice to finally meet you. Edward has told me so much about you," I say nervously. I hope she doesn't notice.

"Well, I hope Edward was very pleasant when he spoke about us," she teases. "I can't say I know much about you, though. I hope we can rectify that this evening." She finishes with a hint of a question.

"Um, sure, I would love to know more about Edward's family."

"Good, I look forward to it. Now, have you two seen my gorgeous husband?" She asks, rubbing her lipstick off Edward's cheek.

"He's gone to greet your dinner guests. You're a bit late mother, but gorgeous as always."

"Thanks, sweetheart. I'll see you two later." She walks gracefully into the next room.

"Relax, Bella."

"She's so beautiful, Edward. Everyone here is."

"Including you, Brown Eyes. Now stop crushing my hand and come with me. I have some people I want to introduce you to."

_Oh crap!_

_._

_._

_._

**_EPOV_**

I arrive at Bella's apartment, and I'm nearly floored when she answers the door. She's a beautiful woman, but there are no words to articulate what she looks like right now. My eyes roam over her entire form, and I realize that there's much more to my ponytail, converse-wearing girlfriend than meets the eye.

I was worried that she wouldn't be able to attend the dinner after being sick, but she insisted that it was just a stomach bug and nothing major. I'm glad, because I really want everyone to know that we're together. She's already met my father, and it's time for my mother to meet her as well.

It takes every ounce of gentlemen in me to not say 'let's go to my place and fuck each other's brains out instead of going to dinner at my parents'. I want her that badly.

_And she bought the fucking four-inch heels!_

We'll definitely be making plans for after dinner.

She was a nervous wreck when I told her that Victoria would be here. I could fucking kill James for bringing her, although what happened back in Florida is not his fault, it doesn't make it any less awkward. Surprisingly, Bella is okay with it, and says that she's put it behind her. She seems to be more worried about how people will accept her and having to face questions about Tanya and the cancellation of the wedding. Tanya will not be attending the banquet, and I'm sure her parents are so pissed off with me that they won't be attending either. That's one bullet I get to dodge tonight.

.

.

.

Bella is talking with Alice and some of the other guest. It's a relief that she's starting to relax. I was sure she was going to jump out of her skin when my mother approached us. She had a death grip on my fingers and would not stop squeezing. Surprisingly pleasant, my mother kissed her and said she looked forward to getting to know her better as the night progressed. I hope she continues to act like a human being.

As I'm eying Bella to make sure she's having a good time, James and Victoria make their way over to me.

"Hey bro," he greets, and we share a quick, manly handshake.

"You had to bring her didn't you?" I say in a low voice, through clenched teeth.

"Don't worry, Eddie, I won't tell your little girlfriend about our past," Victoria purrs. "I have to say, she does clean up rather well. Now she doesn't look so much like you're going to get yourself arrested for statutory rape."

"You're a bitch." I snap.

"Okay you two, not tonight," James warns. "Shit, you're both like two little kids. Grow the fuck up," he finishes as he grabs two champagne glasses from the waiter, handing me one and drinking the other.

"Hey where's mine?" Victoria whines.

"Are your fingers broken? Get your own," he scoffs and walks over to where Alice and Bella are standing.

"So, where's Tanya?"

"Who the fuck knows?" I answer, disinterested.

"Don't you even care, Edward? I mean, she is your fiancée."

"Not particularly, and she _was_ my fiancée. In case you haven't noticed, I'm with someone else now, and why the fuck are you so interested in my love life, anyway?"

"I'm not, but no matter how much you dress her up, she will never be one of us, Edward." She nods in Bella's direction.

"Thank God for that," I respond bitterly and walk away.

I approach Bella, who is now standing alone. I stand closely behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, kissing her sweet smelling neck.

"You smell so good." I breathe.

"Edward, this is highly inappropriate behavior for a banquet." She spins out of my grasp. We're standing on our own in the foyer, while everyone mingles in the family room.

"Why are you standing here by yourself?" I ask, stroking her collarbone with the back of my index finger. I watch her inhale a sharp breath and hesitate before she answers.

"I just don't want to say the wrong thing to someone and embarrass you."

"Bella, you could never embarrass me. I thought I made this clear to you the other day."

"I know, but…" She pauses and grabs a couple of hors d'oeuvres from the waiter and begins eating. "All of these people are wealthy and set for life. They are extremely intelligent people, Edward. What am I going to say if someone asks me what I do for living, tell him or her that I work at Starbucks?" she mumbles with her mouth full.

"That's exactly what you'll tell them. I'm not ashamed of who you are and what you do, Bella. If it wasn't for that place I would never have met you, and I'd be trapped in a loveless marriage."

She winces at my statement and continues passing appetizers through her plump lips.

"Come here, I want you to see something." I spin her so her back is against my chest, and we're both looking into the room where people are talking, dancing and drinking champagne.

"Do you see that woman right there in the red dress with the enormous diamond on her finger? Her name is Irina Ashton. She's Victoria's mother. And do you see the guy dancing with the curvy blonde?"

"You mean the one with the fake looking boobs?" she asks.

"Yeah that's the one. Well, that man is Irina Ashton's husband, and they are swingers." I take one of the appetizers from her hand and pop it into my mouth.

"You mean…"

"Yeah, basically, they swap husbands and wives. They have parties and fuck other people…sometimes in front of each other.

"No way!" she gasps in astonishment.

And look to your far right, next to the piano. That's Mrs. Cope, who was formally known as Mr. Cope." I whisper the last part in her ear, and she gasps and giggles. I wanted to get her to relax and that seems to do the trick.

"Oh my God! You're so bad." She keeps giggling.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Yes, and thank you." She reaches for more hors d'oeuvres. I watch her in amusement, realizing that she must eat when she's nervous.

"Okay, so what I want from you is to go in there with your head held high and show those people the beautiful, coffee pouring, future doctor I fell in love with. I'll take those," I say, retrieving the food from her hands. "Now go dazzle." I give her a gentle swat on her ass to move her in the direction of the party.

After dinner and having to schmooze with more people than I would ever want to, I find Bella talking to Ms. Brandon. She's an elderly woman with a ton of money, no husband, no children and three dogs that she treats like her kids. I know that once Bella tells her about her plans to become a veterinarian she'll totally be in love with her. I'm sure by now she's trying to get Bella to move in with her and become a permanent nanny to those dogs. I decide I need to go over and save her. Ms. Brandon can be very persistent.

"Hello, Ms. Brandon. I see that you and Bella are getting along well," I say, kissing her cheek.

"Oh! Edward, sweetheart your Bella is a delight. A vast improvement on that conceited ex fiancée of yours."

"Thank you, Ms. Brandon." I reply dryly. "Do you mind if I steal Bella for a moment?"

"I most certainly don't. I encourage you to keep your eyes open. Mr. Ashton seems to have his sights on her, and who could blame him? She is a lovely girl."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind, Ms. Brandon." I say kindly and lead Bella away and onto the middle of the floor to dance.

"So, Mr. Ashton was eyeing you?"

"Ms. Brandon is a sweet old lady, but she's um, very…delusional." She wraps her arms around my neck as we sway to the music.

"Oh, she's far from delusional, and I'll break his neck if he looks at you again."

"Down boy, I only have eyes for you." She kisses me softly.

I see my mother watching us from across the room, and her expression is not a pleasant one. She'd been tolerable throughout dinner, and it shocked the hell out of me. It's all a show though. I know it's eating away at her that people are talking and bonding with Bella, especially my father. He seems to genuinely be blown away by her. He took interest in the fact that she handled herself beautifully with the other guests. Even when the paparazzi took photos of the family, he encouraged her to be in every one of the pictures. I know my mother will flip after the banquet. She's just putting on a front for her friends. We'll definitely feel her wrath tomorrow.

"You've been magnificent tonight. Everyone is impressed with you," I pull her closer to me, and I feel her body go rigid. "Baby, what's wrong, did I hurt you?"

She shakes her head violently and pushes away from me, her hand covering her mouth.

"I need the bathroom." She mumbles.

I place my hand on the small of her back and quickly, yet discreetly usher her to the restroom on the other side of the house.

I hear her vomiting, over and over and start to worry. She was sick yesterday and is obviously not feeling any better. I feel like a bastard for not recognizing it and dragging her out tonight when she clearly isn't up to it.

"Bella, can I come in?"

"Yeah." She rasps.

I enter and see her sitting on the floor, looking as white as a sheet. She has a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead and some wisps of hair sticking to her face.

"Some date I'm turning out to be. I think it was all those crab things I ate." She tries to reassure me, but to no avail.

"Bella, you've been throwing up since yesterday. It wasn't the food. I'm worried." I kneel down beside her and brush her hair out of her face.

"Edward, I've called my doctor and he said he's sure it's just some stomach virus that's going around. I'm fine."

"When did you speak with him?"

"I spoke with him yesterday after you went to the grocery store. I have an appointment with him tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm going to make sure you're at that appointment on time." I pick her up off the floor and cradle her in my arms. "You want to go home?"

"Yes, but I want to go home with you and preferably walking on my own, so put me down."

"Are you sure you're fine to walk? Do you feel faint?"

"I feel fine. I actually feel a lot better since I uh…well you know." She gestures toward the toilet.

"Well, your color does appear to be coming back. Wait here, I'll go and tell my parents we're leaving, and you can freshen up a bit, then we'll go."

"Alright." She says simply and runs water and splashes it on her face.

.

.

.

I say goodnight to everyone on Bella's behalf and apologize for having to leave early. We arrive back at my house and curl up on the couch, still in our dinner attire.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel a lot better. I'm sorry I ruined the evening."

"Are you kidding me? I think my father, as well as every other man attending tonight, is in love with you, probably the majority of the women as well. You didn't ruin anything. Everyone was very concerned about you and said that they hoped you felt better."

"What about you mother? I can see that she hates me."

"She'll come around. She has no choice. You are the woman I choose to be with. Bella, when I saw you in this dress and how breathtaking you looked, I fell in love with you all over again. I watched you in awe tonight, laughing and fitting in with everyone. I have never been more certain of anything in my life. I want a future with you…marriage, dogs, kids and all. I want all of it with you."

I feel her body stiffen, and she turns to examine my expression.

"Um I…I…Edward…" She stammers.

"I don't mean today, but I do want it, with you. I'm certain of this, and I think you feel the same way."

She smiles and nods slowly. Her eyes tell me everything. She wants a future with me too, and we'll have it. I'll give her everything, and when that isn't enough, I'll give her more.

She sighs and turns back around to rest her head on my chest. She removes the pins from her head to let it down.

"Allow me to do that," I say, covering her hand with mine. I slowly drag the pins out, one by one, fascinated with every silky lock that falls to her bare shoulders. She hums in appreciation.

"So, um, you do want kids?" she asks hesitantly.

"Yes." I answer without any hesitation. "I'm sort of vain, in case you haven't noticed. I have to have a green eyed 'mini-me' running around." I joke.

She laughs and we both comb through her waves with our fingers. "So just one would suffice?"

"I'm greedy too, in case you haven't noticed that either, so no, one wouldn't suffice." I say truthfully. I can sense her reluctance to elaborate on the subject and think maybe I've gone too far talking about marriage and children. It's just a conversation, but I feel strongly about family. The truth is, I want a large family, and I plan on raising my kids differently to the way I was raised. They'll be able to make their own choices and live their lives the way they want. There'll be no manipulation or scheming, only support from a father who loves them and wants to see them happy. I know it's premature to be talking about this with Bella, but I simply want her to know that she's the one. I've only needed the short time we've spent together to know it.

"What are you thinking?" I whisper in her ear.

"I was just wondering about a few things," she says shyly, twirling one of my cufflinks.

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking that you're the brains and looks in this relationship. Hell, you're the domestic one too. What can I possibly give you?"

I continue running my fingers through her hair and think about what she's just said. She truly doesn't understand my feelings for her. I'm most likely at fault for that. I have to show her.

"Move in with me."

"Excuse me…what did you just say?" she asks, turning around to see my face.

"Move. In. With. Me." I enunciate. "I don't want to wake up another morning without you, Brown Eyes. Move in with me." I brush my mouth against hers, allowing our lips to linger.

"No," she murmurs.

"Why?"

"Because I have my own place," _Kiss. _"And I have a roommate," _Kiss. _"And a dog."

"They're all small obstacles."

"Edward…"

"Shut up, Bella." I cut her off and slip my tongue into her warm mouth. Our tongues stroke and twist together as our soft moans flood the air.

I carry her upstairs and place her on her feet. She looks up at me with lustful eyes as I undo my tie and unbutton my shirt. Tonight, I'll show her just how serious I am about our relationship.

I step toward her with my shirt undone and reach for her hands, guiding her toward the bed. I stop once we reach the side, and I turn her back to me and slowly drag the zipper on her dress down, kissing along her back.

I notice the black satin ribbon laced in crisscross pattern. I pause for a brief moment, marveling at how her skin contrasts with the color. I eagerly push the dress over her hips and to the floor, anticipating what else I'd find under that dress.

My hands roam over her back and down to her ass. I caress her and gently pull her hips back to meet my erection. We both moan quietly from the sensation, as I brush back and forth across her ass.

"Don't tease." She pants heavily.

"You're the one wearing the fucking lingerie," I breathe in her ear and trace it with my tongue.

"Then take it off."

My hands obey her request, and she's left standing in only a pair of matching black satin and lace panties. I palm her breasts and her hands cover mine, mimicking my movements. I lace one of our hands together and trail it down her flat stomach, then down to the apex of her thighs. She moans seductively, and I grow harder. I know what she wants when I feel her moving our hands back up between her legs. I can feel the warmth radiating from her. Her hand nudges mine a little, making me stroke her. Her head lolls back, getting lost in the pleasure of what our fingers are doing.

"You like that? Does it feel good?" My voice is deep and wanting. I need to feel more. Pushing the lacy fabric aside, I stroke her slickness back and forth; my other hand kneads her breast. She whimpers and grinds her ass into my cock, which causes my hand to move faster. I feel her legs start to buckle as she leans further into my body for support.

"I..I'm going to come!" She says breathlessly. My fingers move faster over her swollen clit, plunging in and out as her head turns and captures my lips. She moans and cries softly into my mouth as I feel her tighten around my fingers. I bury my hand in her hair, holding her lips securely to mine, swallowing her cries of pleasure as her body explodes. Warmth coats my fingers and my palm as she pants into my mouth, coming down from her orgasm.

I release her lips and withdraw my hand from her panties, making her lie back onto the bed.

"I want to taste you," I say, spreading her legs.

"I want to taste _you._" She sits up and reaches to undo my belt. I don't respond. This is the first time she's ever expressed a desire or initiated doing that to me, and my cock twitches at her suggestion. I reach up and thread my fingers at the nape of her hair as she pulls my pants and boxers down, just enough to release me from my confinement. She looks up at me with those amazing eyes, before enveloping me in her warm, wet mouth. _ Heaven._

It feels like heaven as I whisper. " Isabella Swan…I love you."

.

.

.

I wake to the sound of my cell-phone buzzing on the nightstand. I peek over at my watch and groan when I see the time. I'm relieved when the phone stops. I lean down and press my lips to her forehead, and she snuggles closer. My phone buzzes again, and I curse under my breath. Careful not to wake her, I slide out from underneath her warm body and sit on the edge of the bed. I grab the phone and check the caller id. Cursing again, I creep out of the room and into the bathroom to answer the call.

"Why are you calling me at seven a.m., Tanya?"

"I need to see you."

"We have no reason to see one another. It's seven a.m. and you've pulled me out of bed. I'm hanging up."

"I would advise you not to do that. I need to speak with you. It's about your precious Isabella, and if I were you, I wouldn't piss me off."

"What is this about, Tanya?"

"Meet me at your office in thirty minutes."

The call drops out, and I wonder what the hell is so important about Bella that she has to meet with me this early in the morning. I scrub my hand over my face, still staring at the phone screen.

After a few more minutes, I grab a quick shower and decide to meet Tanya.

.

.

.

**_BPOV_**

I woke up alone this morning, after having an amazing night. Edward must have had some important business to attend to, since he didn't bother to wake me to let me know he was leaving. I have my doctor's appointment today, and it looks like I'll be going by myself. It's better this way. I wouldn't feel comfortable with him being there, grilling my doctor about my health.

I'm waiting in the exam room when Dr. Reese walks in.

"Good morning, Bella, how are you feeling?"

"I feel fine. I haven't thrown up today, but it's still early." I laugh nervously.

"So, tell me what's been happening." He smiles, ignoring my humor.

"I've been throwing up and having the sweats. Oh, and I've been feeling nauseous."

"When was your last period?" he asks professionally, as he scribbles on my chart.

"Um, about two weeks ago. I'm not late, and I took two pregnancy tests, they were both negative."

He nods and continues to write. "How's your appetite?"

"Um, I've been eating normally…sometimes more than normal, but school is stressful and my social life is…well…you get it."

He peers at me over the rim of his glasses and smiles. "So I guess it's safe to assume that you and your partner are being intimate, hence the pregnancy tests." He smirks.

"Um, yes." I answer uncomfortably.

"Well, Bella, I'm going to do some blood work and give you another pregnancy test as a precaution. I also want you to have a mammogram."

"Wait, a mammogram, why?"

"I don't want to alarm you, but I'm going to be honest. There is a history of breast cancer in your family and some of the things you've described to me are symptomatic of breast cancer. I can't rule it out at this point, but we're going to do the tests and see what we're dealing with, okay?"

I nod robotically, in utter shock. He pats my knee and excuses himself, telling me that the nurse would be coming back in a moment to start the tests.

I swallow the lump that feels prominent in my throat, as tears start to well up in my eyes. I hadn't even thought for a second that it might be something this serious. In this moment I have a change of mind, and wish that Edward was here with me.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

_**End Note: These are reedited reposted chapters of a previously completed story, but I feel the need to say a big thank you to my Beta FoolforEdward for taking the time to tackle this. I've must've been insane when I wrote this chapter of 12,000 words. Good Lord! I'm sorry hun. LOL!**_

**_Remember, it's the calm before the storm. Now please leave me your thoughts._**


	23. Chapter 23, The End Results

**Chapter 23: Cool Breeze**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters, unfortunately._**

**_BPOV_**

_Cancer._

It's been approximately two hours since I've left the doctor's office. I'm driving around the city in circles, practically in a daze. All I seem to think about is my mom's constant throwing up and the pain she endured from chemotherapy. She suffered horribly and it tore my father and me to shreds. I feel like I'm having a panic attack, and I have to pull over.

I drive into the parking lot at the public park and slowly climb out of my truck and walk. The park is relatively empty, except for a scattering of joggers and dog walkers. I stop at the nearest unoccupied bench. Curling up and breaking down is the only thing left for me to do, and I give in. Sobs violently rip through me as I think about hair loss and excruciating stomach pains. I don't want to be in pain. _Edward, oh God, Edward! He won't want me._

A fresh round of sobbing starts at the thought of him leaving me. I don't know how long I l lie, curled up in a ball crying, until a jogger stops to ask if I'm alright.

When my crying finally dries up, some clarity finally breaks through, and I think about what I must look like lying on a park bench. I sit up, and bury my head in my hands and try to pull myself together.

"This is like déjà vu," a familiar, smooth voice says. "Well not technically déjà vu."

"Jake!" I beam, wiping my eyes hurriedly. "Oh my God, what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story really, but in short, I got an offer of an interview from this company building car parts, and _boom_ here I am!" He sinks down on the park bench next to me. He's wearing khakis and a navy buttoned down shirt and dress shoes. _Jake's wearing shoes!_

"You got a job here, building car parts?" I repeat excitedly. "When do you start? Wait, are you moving here?"

"Slow down." He chuckles. "It's an offer to interview, Bella, but if I get the job, I will be moving here. Does that bother you? I've been trying to get in touch with you to talk about it, but every time I call you're either not home or your cell goes straight to voicemail," he adds skeptically.

"No of course not! Oh my God, it would be so great to have you living here. What about Lola? Will she be coming with you? If you get the job, I mean."

"Of course she will. A friend of mine is taking care of her now, but if all goes well, she'll be here with me."

"That is so cool." I say, nodding my approval.

"So, come on, take me to lunch. Show me what's good around here." He holds out his hand for me and for just a few moments, I find that I can forget about my doctor's visit.

**_~~~~~W~~~~_**

"You eat like a pig." He's watching me in amazement.

"Shut up! I do not." I scoff.

"Now that's the Bella I know, not the one I saw sitting in the park by herself, crying. You want to tell me what that was all about?

His question cuts me off mid-chew. I hadn't realized that he saw me crying. I try to come up with a believable lie to excuse the state that he found me in, but I can't come up with anything good.

"Nothing…it's just stress…school…you know." I give him a forced smile, but I know that he sees right through it.

"What about that Cullen guy? He stressing you out too?" he asks sarcastically.

"Not the way you think." I respond immediately.

"So, you're back with him?" He asks matter-of-factly, sounding as if he's not in not the least surprised.

I haven't told Jake about getting back with Edward because I knew it would piss him off. I don't think that he's one to forgive easily and the brawl they had, doesn't help matters either.

"Jake," I sigh, "I don't want to argue about Edward. You just got here. Let's just hang out and have fun."

"Whatever." He's clearly annoyed, and he finishes slurping his milkshake, staring out of the widow behind me.

"How did you know I was at the park anyway?" I ask; my interest suddenly piqued.

"I didn't. I guess great minds think alike." He answers robotically.

We drive in silence. We haven't said a word since leaving the sandwich shop. I know he's upset that I've reunited with Edward, even though I haven't confirmed it.

I shock both of us by what I do next.

"So, I thought I was pregnant and I may have cancer." I blurt out, ending the silence and hope to unburden myself of the fear I've been trying desperately to tamp down.

In my periphery, I see his head bolt up. The look on his face is one of pure astonishment.

"You're pregnant, and you have cancer?" he all but yells.

"Forget it…I was just…"

"Are you going to try and downplay what you just said, Bella? Pull over," he says angrily. His tone nearly causes me to wreck the truck. Luckily, we are just outside of my place.

I step out and walk briskly into the yard to see if Sadie's okay. He's on my heels in only a matter of seconds.

"Bella?" he grabs my arm to stop me.

"I'm not pregnant, okay. It was just a scare."

"And the other thing?" he asks cautiously.

"I'm not sure yet. I had a test and the results aren't back." My voice cracks and tears well in my eyes. He doesn't say another word. His eyes say it all. He pulls me into his arms, and I burst into tears again as I hold on to him for dear life.

"I can't do this, Jake. I can't have cancer!" I yell, burying my face in the crook of his neck.

"Bella?" Edward calls softly.

My head snaps up. He's looking at me with sadness and confusion.

"I'll be at the truck," Jake says, releasing me from his arms and striding away.

"Jake was…" I start, but he cuts me off, shaking his head.

"I don't care about that. I heard what you said."

I lower my head, unable to look him in the eyes. "How much did you hear?"

"Cancer." He looks at me with worried eyes.

"I don't want to talk about this here." I say dismissively.

"Bella…"

"No! I don't want to talk about this here. I have to take Jake back to his hotel, and I'll meet you at your house." I try walking away, but he gently grabs my arm.

"Bella, can't you wait to drive him back? We should talk…"

"Edward, please." I plead. "Just let me drive him back, and we'll talk. I promise."

"Okay." He says softly and nods.

.

.

.

Finally, after dropping Jake off, I drive up to the gate at Edward's. Jake made me promise to call him as soon as I get my test results. I agreed, but only if he promised to do the same about his job interview.

I have absolutely no idea how to approach the subject with Edward. I haven't thought about telling him or how to tell him at all.

By the time I reach the front door, a new wave of nerves has set in. I can feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. I punch the code in for a second time and wait for the buzzer to allow me entrance. I see him sitting at his piano, but not playing. There's a glass half-filled with a golden, brown, colored liquid sitting on the hood of the piano. He doesn't look in my direction until he hears the soft click of the door.

Neither of us moves, we're staring at one another, but no word passes between us. He's so beautiful, and at this moment, I wish that I were indeed pregnant. Tears gather in my eyes and spill down my cheeks slowly. As soon as he notices, he leaps up and briskly walks over and wraps me in his arms.

**_EPOV_**

"Shh…it's ok." I comfort Bella as she breaks down in my arms. That idiot's presence and her talking to him may be inconsequential for now, yes, but definitely worth bringing up later. When I heard her yelling hysterically about not wanting to have cancer, my thoughts of murdering him with my bare hands instantly vanished.

I didn't have the heart to argue with her when I understood that she wanted to wait to have the conversation until after she'd driven him back to wherever he came from. The woman I love was in the arms of another man crying, and all I wanted to do was to find out what's going on.

I agreed to her request and came back home to wait. I've been going insane with worry. _Does she really have cancer? Is this why she's been so sick?_

I couldn't think so I paced, and when that wasn't enough, I poured a glass of scotch and began drinking. This day is fucked up, to put it mildly and getting worse as it progresses.

After having to go through the normal bullshit with guests at the banquet and then Bella being ill, last night had ended perfectly. We came back to my place and just relaxed on the sofa and talked about so many things…things that I would never have considered discussing with any other woman. I want a full life with her, filled with kids and everything else that goes with it.

I felt a little guilty, given that she had been sick, when our chaste evening turned into one of carnal gratification. But she assured me that she was fine, which was a good thing, because when I saw what she was wearing underneath that dress, all bets of being chaste were off. She was thinking the same thing when she engulfed my erection in her mouth. Last night was everything I had ever wanted it to be. This morning, waking up next to her was pure bliss. Bliss that ended when Tanya's phone call woke me, and she threatened me with some information she had about Bella.

**_Flashback_**

"What the hell is this?" I ask, confused, staring at the folder she slides across the desk.

"Open it."

I reach for the folder, my eyes still trained on hers. I yank it open roughly and flip through the pictures. My eyes glance at her then back to the photos.

"What the fuck is this, Tanya?"

"You're a smart man, Edward. I think you know exactly what it is."

I continue to look at the photos in disbelief…disbelief at what I'm seeing and disbelief that she actually has the nerve to do this_. Damn it, Charlie!_

"Did you know about this?" I shout spinning around in my mother's direction. She opens her mouth to answer, but I stop her cold.

"Of course you knew about this. This has your stench all over it."

"Edward I…"

"Shut up, mother! You did this!" I yell, pointing at her. Her mouth falls open in astonishment.

"Edward, your mother had nothing to do with this. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"What do you think you're going to accomplish with this, Tanya?" I wave the folder in the air, then realization sets in. "Bella?"

I narrow my eyes at her. I've never seen her look so smug and determined before. Tanya can be as ruthless and lethal as my mother. There's no doubt in my mind that she's doing this to get me away from Bella.

"She's not good enough for you, Edward."

"Shut up, mother." I say in a deceptively calm tone, never taking my eyes off Tanya.

"You think you're going to bully and blackmail me into leaving her and marrying you?" I breathe harshly, my nostrils flaring.

"She can't make you happy," she says calmly.

"Oh, and you think that you can? You think I would marry a woman who schemes and tries to blackmail me into getting what she wants?"

"I'm doing this for us, Edward. You've left me no other choice. The wedding date has obviously been changed, but it shouldn't be that much of a task to contact the guests and staff, alerting them of the new date." She completely ignores what I've just said.

"Are you fucking mental? I've told you already that I'm not marrying you. I would never give a woman like Bella up a to be with someone like you! And this," I gesture to the folder in my hand, "this means squat. You better come a whole lot better than this doctored, trumped up bullshit, Tanya." I sneer, closing the distance between us. "You got that?"

She flinches, moving back against the wall. "It's not doctored! It's the truth, and I _will_ ruin her, Edward."

"Don't you threaten, Bella," I say through clenched teeth. "Take this garbage; get the fuck out of my office!"

"Edward, sweetheart we're just trying to protect you…"

"Now!" I yell, throwing the folder at Tanya for dramatic effect. They both flinch at the tone of my voice and quickly gather their belongings, and leave my office without another word.

I stand at the window, trying to regulate my breathing. After everything we've been through, there is no way that I'm letting either of them wreck my happiness. I turn and look at the scattered contents of the folder on the floor and sigh heavily.

"Goddamn it, Charlie." I whisper, pinching the bridge of my nose.

**_End of Flashback_**

"It's okay, baby." I continue to soothe, as her sobs subside. "I'm so sorry I didn't go to the doctor with you."

"I didn't want you there," she mumbles into my shirt. "It was hard enough to hear on my own. With you there, it would've made it…." Her voice trails off.

"Bella, what exactly did the doctor say?" I gently move her away from my chest, so I can see her face.

"He didn't say much. He just did a lot of tests, including a mammogram."

"I'm sorry, baby, but the doctor giving you a mammogram doesn't mean that you have cancer."

"I know, but he's concerned, Edward! My mom had breast cancer, and with my luck, the odds are I'll probably have it too!" She starts crying again.

"Okay, listen to me. I know you're upset, but I think you're jumping the gun a bit. When will you get the results back?"

"He told me to wait in his office, but I…I couldn't do it Edward. I just left," she stutters, and I can tell that she's terrified. "I turned off my phone, so he's probably called by now. I wouldn't know."

I've never seen her like this. She's losing it, and I have to do something to comfort her…to make this all go away.

"Where's your phone?" I ask, pulling her with me to the sofa.

"It's right here." She pulls it from her back pocket.

"Alright, let's turn it back on to see if he's called, and if he hasn't we'll wait."

"Edward, please! I'm not ready! I don't want to know!" She shakes her head violently and pleads with me with big, beautiful tear-filled eyes.

"Shh…stop it, Bella. We're going to wait to hear from the doctor and whatever it is; we'll face it together. Now, come here." I lie back, pulling her with me and rock her gently.

After some time, we're still lying on the couch, waiting with bated breath for the doctor's call. I'm shocked that he hasn't called yet. Bella, his patient, abruptly left his office without alerting anyone, and he hasn't shown enough concern to try and contact her. With the exception of Bella hiccupping as her crying subsides, we lie in complete silence.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" I ask, twirling her ponytail around my finger.

"My mom." She rasps.

"What about your mom?" I keep my voice soothing.

"We've never given her grave a plaque. It's always been a matter of expense. I apologize to her each time I visit her burial site. I promised myself, that when I get my first legitimate job working as a vet, that it would be the first thing I bought."

"When was the last time you visited her?"

"I was supposed to go and see her when I was in Florida, but I never got around to it. Some daughter I am, huh." She scoffs.

I feel like a complete bastard. She'd forgotten to visit her mother's grave because of my relentless pursuit of her. Suddenly I'm the one who feels as if I'm about to vomit. _Asshole!_

"This is all my fault." I huff and stand up from the couch. "If I hadn't been so demanding and forceful, you would never have missed visiting your mom's grave!" I'm disgusted with myself.

'Edward, it's not your fault. Please, you can't fall apart on me right now. The two of us being a mess is a recipe for disaster." She grabs my hands and pulls me back down to sit beside her.

I go back to holding her in my arms, rubbing slow circles on her back. Soon, I feel her head dip lower, and she starts snoring softly. I exhale, closing my eyes, lean my head back and nod off.

**_._**

**_._**

**_._**

"Hey sleepy head." I greet Bella as I see her walking down the stairs to join me. It's about six in the evening and still no word from the doctor's office. I have half a mind to call him and threaten to have his office shut down for unprofessionalism.

"You've been asleep for hours." She walks over and snuggles into my side as she sits down on the couch.

"You carried me to bed?" she asks sleepily.

"Yea, I thought you'd be more comfortable there."

"Why didn't you stay with me?" Her voice is almost childlike.

"I wanted to give you some space." I pull her closer.

"I don't need space. I need you. I hate sleeping alone."

"Then move in with me," I say without hesitation. I know I'm being pushy, but I don't give a fuck. Ever since I heard her say the word cancer, I've wanted nothing more than to have her with me and to take care of her.

"Edward." She sighs in defeat.

"Okay, we'll tuck that conversation away for later, but you know where I stand, Brown Eyes."

"He hasn't called yet." She murmurs and closes her eyes once more.

This waiting shit is for the birds. There has to be something that I can do to alleviate the stress we're both feeling, waiting on his ass to call.

I think over everything that's transpired today, with Tanya, my mother and the situation with Bella. I think back to the day I first saw her. She was so nervous, but I was instantly attracted to her. I think about Paris and the first time I told her I loved her. Then my thoughts drift to the brief time of being without her, and I feel ill.

_Cancer? This shit can't be happening. Is there a dark cloud hanging over our fucking heads? Cancer? Fucking Tanya? This shit is unfair. Look at her. She's so young and beautiful, so innocent. _I trace her hairline. I know that this illness has no age limit, but I can't help being angry at God for threatening to put her through such a heart wrenching disease.

The buzzing of a phone breaks into my thoughts.

I jump, feeling Bella's phone vibrating in-between us. She sleepily opens her eyes and slowly sits up. The phone continues to buzz, and my heart races. Realization suddenly sets in, and her eyes widen in fear.

I grab her phone and look at the display, then hand it to her. She stares at it as if it's about to bite her hand off.

"Answer it," I urge. "I'm here…it'll be okay."

She hesitantly takes the phone and gets up, answering it quietly. "Hello? Hi, yes doctor, this is Bella." Her voice shakes nervously.

I stand up from the couch and walk over to her, placing a kiss on her forehead. I'm on my way to the kitchen to cook something quickly for dinner and to give her some privacy. As I walk away I hear her one sided conversation.

"Yes, I'm sorry for just walking out. Yes. Um, okay."

There's a lengthy pause before I hear her reply softly. "Yes, I'm still here." Another pause and she replies, "Okay."

I'm not sure if Bella is still not feeling up to eating anything heavy, so I don't really know what to cook. Finally, I decide on shrimp scampi and garlic bread. _Okay, maybe shrimp scampi isn't that light, but screw it. I'm about ready to jump out of my fucking skin waiting for her to get off the phone with that doctor._ As long as she gets something into her stomach, I'm satisfied.

I never did get around to telling her that I'd be going out of town for a couple of days. When I saw her in that guy's arms and realized that she was crying, my reason for showing up at her apartment flew out of the window. I can't leave her now…not until I know exactly what's going on with her physically.

I fill the pot with water and sit it on the stove to boil. _ Bowtie noodles. Bella loves bowtie noodles._ I smile to myself. _She can be such a little kid._

"She has to be alright." I whisper as I stand staring at the pot of water.

"I am." She startles me out of my thoughts. She's standing in the archway with fresh tears shining in her eyes.

"You're okay? No canc…" I ask anxiously.

She cuts me off, shaking her head fervently as her tears spill over. I'm over to her in two strides, and I pick her up and swing her around.

"My God, I was going crazy. I didn't want to show it." I murmur into her neck. "What did he say? If it's not cancer, then what's wrong?" I instantly put her back on her feet and search her eyes for answers.

"He said it looked viral. Basically, it was like a flu bug that's clearing up on its own. He didn't see anything alarming, and said that I'm fine." She says calmly with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"Are you sure baby?" I ask and tilt her face to look at me.

"Yes, I'm fine, and I love you so much." She wraps her arms tightly around my neck. "I'm ready for dinner. What are you making?" she giggles and sobs at the same time.

"Dinner can wait. I need you right now." I hoist her over my shoulder and stalk towards the dining room table.

"Edward!" she squeals. "What about the food!"

"This won't take long, baby. I promise."

"It had better not because I'm starving." She mutters from her upside down position.

"That's funny, I was thinking the same thing," I say, yanking her yoga pants down, spreading her legs and diving in with my tongue as soon as I place her on the table.

"Maybe dinner can wait." She groans and roughly grips my hair.

"Mmmm." It's all I can vocally produce.

**_._**

**_._**

**_._**

"When's your birthday?" I ask, while planting soft lingering kisses all over her face. I can't believe I've only just thought to ask her this.

"It's December twelfth." She sighs happily, but still sounds as if something's troubling her. I pull back to look into her eyes.

"Are you sure everything is alright?"

"Yes…I'm sure." She exhales, smiling brightly at me. "Why did you want to know when my birthday is? You're not planning some whole big crazy day of spoiling me are you?"

"Well, I was, but if you don't want to be spoiled, we could do something simple." I tease.

"No way! I want to be spoiled. I want the whole nine yards, Edward…jewels, furs, shopping extravaganzas, spa treatments, all of it!" she beams as she straddles my naked lower half, and nestles her wetness against my now prominent arousal.

"Mmmm, you can have anything you want, Brown Eyes…anything." I moan, the slickness of our previous orgasms is still very much evident.

"I'm kidding you know that, right? I'm just really happy and relieved." She says, leaning forward and pecking my lips.

"I know you're kidding, but I'm not and don't bother trying to talk me out of spoiling you for your birthday, it's a done deal. But right now, we have something else to celebrate, so get dressed." I kiss her quickly and pull her up from the sofa.

"Where are we going?"

"Out."

"I have no clothes here, Edward. I can't go out in what I wore earlier.

"Yeah, I knew there'd be days like this. I'm going to jump in the shower, and you go check my closet. There are a few things in it for you," I say, sprinting up the stairs.

After I've showered, I find Bella sitting on the bed gaping at me in delight.

"What?"

"When did you buy this?"

"I shouldn't tell you, but I get hard every time I think of you in the dress you wore on the plane before we went to Paris." I refer to the red wrap dress she's holding up, all courtesy of Alice. _Thank you sister._

"You liked that dress?" she asks, with a small frown.

"Correction, I _loved_ that dress." I lean over her and kiss her deeply. "Put it on, the matching red heels that are in the closet as well. Oh, and wear your hair in one of those messy librarian bun things, with some stray hairs hanging down. That's sexy," I whisper against her lips before plunging my tongue into her mouth for a quick taste. I pull away much too soon for my liking and grab a shirt and a pair of pants from my closet. After a day like this one, I owe it to both of us to celebrate.

**_BPOV_**

"Salsa dancing?" I shriek. "You're taking us salsa dancing?" I'm completely mortified. He knows I hate dancing, but salsa dancing is a whole other kind of dancing that I know I'll suck at, and I'll probably kill him, and myself too; that's if I even try it.

"Relax baby, it'll be fine. I'll show you everything you need to know." He says, while grinning wickedly at me.

I guess I could play along after all the drama we've experienced today. How can I say no to him, looking the way he does? _Lightweight, pale blue sweater and dark grey slacks, damn him! He knows I love this color blue on him, and with the sleeves pushed up revealing his forearms. Kill me now. Oh no! I didn't mean that God. I'm so thankful I'm not sick._

I cling to him, scared shitless as we walk into the club. He assures me that everything's fine, even given the fact that I'm not legal to be entering this place. But this is Edward I'm with. I 'm sure he's paid the guy to overlook my ID inspection.

We slip inside a booth located discreetly in the rear of the club. I do a quick sweep of the place as the colorful lights swirl around the club.

"Can I get you anything?" he asks over the top of the music. It's loud, but not overbearingly so.

"Um… sparkling water. "I can't drink here."

"You're with me. You can do anything you want," he counters with a mock frown.

"In that case, I'll have a virgin, strawberry daiquiri," I say proudly.

"That's my girl. Live dangerously."

"Shut up! I'll be twenty-one some day soon." I yell at his retreating form.

Edward returns with my fruity drink and something a little more potent for himself. He notices as I glance nervously at the dance floor, examining all the couples.

"You want to try it?" he asks with his eyes blazing, boring into mine. My eyes widen, and I slowly shake my head. He laughs and stands, holding out his hand, disregarding my answer. I place my hand in his and he leads me out into the crowd. There's a fast tune playing, and I'm nervous as hell. _How in the hell am I supposed to dance in these heels? Me and my big mouth; why did I tell him about the short-leg debacle?_

Just as we find a space, the music changes to a slower, Latin number. My eyes shift around as I see couples come together in a slow grind. It reminds me of our first date, and the first time Edward and I danced.

He grabs my hand, twirling me around and pulls me flush with his toned body. His hands slink around my waist and rests just above my ass.

"Don't look so nervous. It's all in the way you move your hips," he breathes and starts to move my hips slowly into his. My hands slide up to his strong biceps as I stare into his eyes. His movements are so sensual, that I forget all about being terrified of dancing. He swivels and grinds his hips into mine, while holding me in his piercing gaze.

"Move with me." He mouths the words, and my hips start swaying of their own accord.

"That's it baby…just like that." He smiles as his hands gently move across the top of my ass. Feeling bolder and getting into it, I slide my hands up his chest until they reach his neck, and I twist my fingers softly in his hair. Our eyes never break contact. I smile back at him as he smirks at me, loving every second of being with him like this.

He reaches up and slowly undoes my hair, letting it tumble to my shoulders.

"You are so damned beautiful," he says, while his hands travel down a few more inches and grip me tighter. I can feel his erection, hard and invading, right where I crave him the most. I no longer care about where we are or what we're doing, because everyone in the club is too wrapped up in each other to care about us, and vice versa.

His hand creeps down my thigh and curls around the back, hitching my leg up, revealing my bare leg, thanks to the long slit on the wrap dress. He caresses my thigh, while thrusting and grinding into me.

"Do you remember moving like this the first time we danced?" He leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Yes." I whisper back.

"You were so shy." He sucks on my earlobe. "I wanted you so badly."

"I wanted you too," I answer breathlessly as I feel myself starting to get wet. _ God, this is just like the first time. _"Edward, we have to stop."

"I think you said that the first time too." He chuckles and lowers my leg back onto the floor.

'I did." I giggle and suddenly feel pissed at the loss of his hardness pressed firmly against me. His hands disappear from my ass and rest comfortably on my hips.

We dance and reminisce about our first date and all of our first experiences together, until we're the only two left on the dance floor. Apparently, the club has closed and Edward had previously planned for us to be allowed to stay.

"Are your feet killing you yet?" he asks, smiling at me.

"I can't feel a thing. I think you have magical powers, Edward Cullen." I respond dreamily.

"You have all the power, Isabella Swan. You have complete power over me; mind, body and soul. I love you."

I feel myself start to blush, and I lean my forehead against his. Something about this night just seems so perfect. I never want it to end.

"Tell me what you're thinking." He rests his chin on top of my head.

"I was just thinking about the whole day…how it started off horribly and ended up like this." I look up into his eyes and smile. "I just realized that some things are just meant to be and to recognize when God sends us a blessing, to cherish every minute of it."

"I think we are blessed. I mean, we were practically doomed from the start and now look at us. We can have it all, Brown Eyes." He pulls me back, closer to him, and I lay my head on his shoulder.

"We _can_ have it all, can't we?" I murmur softly.

"Everything," he answers as he continues to sway our bodies back and forth.

"I love you, Edward."

_I'm pregnant._

* * *

**_EndNote:_**_ Did I surprise you with that one? I'm dying to know your thoughts._

_Please Review!_


	24. Chapter 24, Cloud Coverage

**Chapter 24: Cloud Coverage**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_A/N: Ok this is a long chap and I won't bore you with the norm. I will say that I loved all of your fantastic reviews keep 'em comin._**

**_EPOV_**

Last night was fucking amazing, to say the least. Bella was declared healthy, and we were so happy. I took her Salsa dancing to celebrate her clean bill of health and frankly, I knew salsa dancing would keep me glued to her all night…literally. Honestly, I needed the distraction as well. This whole thing with Tanya and what she revealed is weighing heavily on my mind. I have yet to expel the idea that she and my mother would fabricate those photos just to push my buttons, to make me just drop Bella without a second thought. They have no clue just how much I would fight and sacrifice for her. I'm not giving her up without proof that what I saw with my eyes, is without a doubt accurate.

I decide to call an old friend who would probably know someone who can help me.

"Call Emmett." I speak into the hands-free speakerphone and wait as it dials.

"Hey Ed, what's up man? I haven't heard from you in a while."

"Em, it's been too long, but I'm sorry this isn't a social call." I say quickly and to the point. "I need your help with something."

"Anything man, what do you need?"

"I'm on my way over to your place. I'll see you in fifteen." I adjust the gearshift as I end the call and soar down the highway.

I arrive at Emmett's, and as I knew he would, he's waiting for me with a basketball twirling on his index finger.

"We can talk over a quick game." He smirks.

"You never quit do you?" I remove my watch and sunglasses and place them on the cooler, which I'm sure he has filled with Gatorade or some other sort of vile sports drink. _It's a good thing I'm wearing sneakers._

"First one to ten." I state, rolling up my sleeves.

"I believe that would be me." He shoots back immediately.

"You'll never learn, Em." I sigh in annoyance. "Check." I order and he bounces the ball in my direction.

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"Okay, so are you going to tell me what's going on with this chick's father?" He gulps down the contents of the bottle. The game didn't last very long, but it turned out the way it always does

"Hey, she's not a chick, and the deal was that if I won you wouldn't ask any questions."

"Alright, calm down and don't go bragging about winning. It was a lucky shot." He scoffs.

"It's always a lucky shot according to you, Em!" I laugh. "The sooner you admit that I'm a better player than you, the easier it'll be to accept defeat."

"Fuck you. You were always like that in college too, thinking that all the females wanted you."

"Well it was the truth, Em," I say matter-of-factly, taking a swig of the drink and grimace instantly.

"You're one conceited bastard, Edward. What does this chi… girl see in you anyway?"

"What they all see." I lower my eyes to my crotch and arch an eyebrow.

"Well played sir." He says in his worst British accent and tips his drink in the air.

I laugh then quickly become serious. "Brown Eyes is different, Em."

"I can see that. Let me make a few calls and see what I can come up with."

"Thanks."

**_~~~~~~~W~~~~~~_**

We're lying, resting lazily in bed, quietly enjoying each other's breathing rhythm. I draw patterns on her wrist and notice that she's wearing an unfamiliar piece of jewelry.

"This is new, when did you get it?" I bring her wrist to my lips and kiss the inside over and over. Her body stiffens and her heart rate pick up. "Um…it was a going away present... so to speak."

"Mmhmm." I mumble against her wrist, urging her to continue.

"Jake gave it to me." She says quietly, and I freeze, pulling her wrist away from my lips to examine it. _I should've killed him when I had the chance._

"He's buying you jewelry now?" I'm unable to hide my irritation. _What the fuck is this crap anyway?_ I twist and turn her wrist to get a better look.

"It was a going away present and don't freak out. You have my heart."

"Had," I mumble like a five-year old.

"What do you mean?" She crinkles her forehead.

"I used to have your heart, but you know…"

"Ahh. I see." She finally gets my hint. She reaches over to the floor and digs into her messenger bag and sits back onto the bed. She reaches around my neck and fastens the heart charm securely.

"Are you sure?"

"I was always sure. It was you who wasn't." She says confidently.

"You've been carrying it around with you?"

"Everyday."

"You're never getting it back this time, you know."

"I know."

"I'm going to kill him if he gives you anything else. Do you know that too, Ms. Smarty Pants?" I whisper, humorously in her ear. "What the hell is he doing here anyway?" I murmur against her soft lips as she ignores me, reaching around my neck and slipping her tongue in my mouth.

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"You're leaving for two days?" She whines, poking out her bottom lip, and I quickly swoop in and catch it gently between my teeth, nibbling softly. "I'm going to miss this," she murmured into my mouth.

"Have you ever been to Africa?" I blurt out randomly, abruptly pulling away from her still pouting lips.

"Huh..wha…what?" She blinks in puzzlement.

"Have you ever been to Africa?" I annunciate slowly this time. "I think we should go while you're on Christmas break."

She stares at me like my hair is on fire. Her mouth falls open. The look on her face is priceless.

"Our last trip was," I pause trying to find the proper wording. "Well you know how it was, but this time baby, it will be perfect, I promise." I clasp both of her hands in mine. "I can just see you now in your little safari dress or shorts and the safari… baby you've got to go on safari. You love animals. You'll love it, Brown Eyes."

"Edward, I really don't know what to say." She looks at me nervously. "Africa? My God I…" She gasps, completely taken aback.

"We can go for your birthday. Just think it over. I won't disappoint you again, Brown Eyes." I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I know you will never disappoint me. God, are you for real?" she squeals, throwing her arms around my neck and knocking me backwards in the process.

"I'm the realist when it comes to you."

I cradle her face in my hands and kiss her hard and deeply. The next two days are going to be pure torture, especially when I consider where my trip is taking me.

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.

"So, two days?" She leans her head into the car window.

"Two days."

"Hurry back. I have a surprise for you." She beams and kisses me softly on the lips then chastely on the chin.

"What surprise?" Is it in the form of black satin and lace?" I ask as I remember the lingerie she wore the night of the banquet.

"Hmmm, you'll have to hurry back to find out." She gives me another quick kiss.

"I'll be back before you can even miss me."

"I doubt it."

"Me too." I grip the back of her neck and pull her back inside the car window to meet my lips one last time. "I love you," I whisper before heading to the airport.

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While waiting, Emmett emails me and confirms my worst fears. The photos Tanya showed me are definitely authentic. I pull out my phone and dial before the plane takes off.

"Charlie, its Edward. I'm on my way to Florida. I need to see you."

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~W~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**_BPOV_**

**_Flashback_**

I'm stoic, feet glued to the floor, and hold my breath._ Did he really just say what I thought he had?_

"Did you hear what I said? Your blood test came back positive. You're pregnant, Bella."

My stomach does a complete flip-flop, and I scrunch my face in concentration trying to process what he's saying. _The mammogram results are fine, but my blood test shows positive for pregnancy? _I'm so confused.

"I know of an excellent OB/GYN I can refer you to, Bella." He's still talking, but my brain can't catch up. "Isabella, are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm still here." I answer quietly, shocked, but still fully aware of the man in the other room. If I freak out now he'll be in here in a second, demanding to know what's going on.

"Good, I was worried that you had passed out or something," he chuckles. "It's late now, but give the office a call first thing in the morning and the receptionist will give you all the information."

"Okay." I say dully after a moment's delay.

"Congratulations, Bella."

I don't respond, the phone just slips slowly from my ear and rests on my shoulder.

_Pregnant? No cancer? Congratulations? Holy Fuck!_

**_End of Flashback_**

Edward has just left, and I'm standing in his driveway after seeing him off like the happy, homemaker wife, already anxious for my husband to return home from a business trip. _Wife, Jesus Christ, Bella! Pull it together. _

I go back inside, still trying to wrap my head around the pregnancy news. For some reason I'm not as scared as I was the first time when Angela burst through the bathroom door with five pregnancy tests.

At first, I was scared, scared shitless for sure, but when I walked into the kitchen and heard Edward pleading for me to be okay, my fear evaporated. I thought about our conversation the night after the banquet and how he was so wonderful and caring when he heard about my tests. I have no idea how I'm going to do this, but I know he'll be with me throughout. It's truly going to be hard for me, going to school and all, but when I look at him the answer is clear. This was meant to be.

I've been at Edward's since the night of the banquet. He insisted that I stay at his house until he returned, but I need to get home to check on Sadie and Angela. Jesus, I haven't seen or talked to Rose, in like forever. I know she's busy with school. She'll, be graduating this year and she's back and forth, being prepped by her father to work in his office at the end of the semester. Not to mention, the new guy she's met. Like me, and Edward, I'm sure things are becoming serious with her and Emmett, but she doesn't want to admit it.

_Rose is going to freak out when she finds out about this!_

I really need to get home. So much has happened since I saw Angela last, and I desperately need to talk with her about everything, the banquet, Jake, and the doctor's visit. We have a lot of catching up to do. _Oh God, what is Angela going to think? Christ Jake! I can see the look on his face now._

I had promised to call Jake once I received the results of my tests. He hasn't called me, so maybe he didn't get the job after all. I grab my messenger bag and car keys, as I securely lock up Edward's place. I'll be coming back the day after tomorrow to set up my surprise for him. I'm so nervous about how he'll react to the news.

I shake my head, not wanting to worry about that right now. I'll cross that bridge the day after tomorrow and hope for the best. _Give him the black lace and satin._ I mentally remind myself.

I dig through my bag as I walk down the drive and finally find my phone. I check it and notice that I have five missed calls and a text.

_Shit! I didn't hear it ring. Where the hell was I? Oh, you were busy crying and screwing Edward for the past couple of days._

I shake my head at my overactive, smart-ass conscience, it's as always, prepared to one-up me.

There are two missed calls from Angela and a couple from numbers that aren't familiar to me. _Probably bill collectors._

I send Angela a quick text, saying that I'll be home after I stop off at Edward's office to pick up my laptop. Her reply is lightening fast. She has something important to tell me, she ends the text with a wide toothed smiley, which means she's excited about something.

I check the text I missed and smile when I see it's from Jake. "He got the job. That's so cool," I say out loud. I quickly send him a message, saying that I'm fine and that I want to meet him for lunch today so we can talk. His reply is short and to the point. '_Park at noon.' _I confirm the meeting place and head downtown to Cullen Oil.

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.

.

No matter how many times I visit this place, I always feel like I'm under-dressed.

_That's because you are._

I mentally brandish a fist and warn my conscience to fuck off before she gets the beat down of a lifetime.

_Fighting your conscience, really, Bella. _I roll my eyes and continue into the building.

"Hi, Marcus. I know Edward's not here, but can I go up. I left my laptop in his office."

"Mr. Cullen would have my job if I refused you, Ms. Swan." He chuckles." Of course you can go up."

"I smile and walk past him and enter the elevator. "Please call me Bella." I add, peeking through the doors as they close.

I waltz right up to his secretary's desk. _ Great!_

"Mr. Cullen isn't here today." She says immediately.

_So this is how it's going to be huh, you little bitch?_

"Yeah I know he's not here. I just…forget it." I retract, deciding I don't want her in my business. "I left my laptop in his office, and I need to get it." I say cordially.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow _you _or anyone in Mr. Cullen's office while he's not here."

"Well can you go in and get it for me." I'm becoming annoyed. She just blinks dumbly at me like she can't comprehend what I'm saying.

"Oh, for the love of Christ! I'll just call him," I snap, digging for my phone. She simply shrugs and waits for me to dial.

"That won't be necessary." A gentle voice from behind me speaks. "Lauren, Edward wouldn't tolerate you being so rude to his…to Bella."

I don't know whether to ask her what the hell she meant by her comment or thank her for coming to my rescue. I choose the latter.

"Thank you."

"Come with me, fortunately, I'm one of the few people who are allowed in my son's office when he's not here." She says sweetly, but I can't be sure if she's taking a jab at his secretary or not.

She unlocks the door and steps inside. I stand at the door staring at her for a moment, until she snaps me out of my daze. Why does this woman scare the shit out of me so much?

"Are you going to stand there in the door gaping, or are you going to collect what you've come for?"

"Oh! I'm sorry." I scurry inside. "I'm just a little stu.."

"Star struck, I get that." She interrupts.

_What? I was going to say stunned, stupefied, but not star-struck._

"I guess, kind of." I say shyly. "You're very beautiful."

"Thank you, Isabella. Can I call you Isabella?" she asks calmly as she sits behind Edward's desk. The way she looks at me makes me feel like I'm going to be chastised. My heart starts to accelerate and the lump in my throat is near choking me. I don't want to be called Isabella; my own mother didn't ever call me Isabella. Charlie sure as hell doesn't, but here I am, getting ready to allow someone else to do it.

"Yes, Isabella is fine." I try swallowing the lump, but it won't budge.

"Good. I like Isabella, it sounds regal." Her tone is emphatic. "Isabella, I've wanted to speak with you since the banquet. Things were a little busy that night, and I didn't get a chance to ask if you enjoyed yourself before you left so abruptly.

_Oh shit! I am being chastised._

"I'm so sorry for that, Mrs. Cullen I…"

"Esme please. Mrs. Cullen is reserved for my mother-in-law." She lets out a quick laugh as she corrects me.

"Um...okay…Esme." I say quietly. _Is it warm in here?_

"Would you like to have a seat? She gestures to the couch.

I look behind me, and instantly, images of Edward and me getting ready to have sex on that very couch pop into my head.

"Um…sure." I try to dispel my salacious thoughts. _You're here with his mother. Focus! _I sit down carefully. "As I was saying, I'm sorry I left the banquet early. I wasn't feeling well, but I had a wonderful time. Everyone was so awesome to me." _Awesome? You sound like a surfer girl! Narley dude, awesome! Damn it!_

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Let me get to the reason why I wanted to speak with you, Isabella.

_Here it comes. Brace yourself, hon._

"You and Edward have been getting serious lately, as anyone can see, but I have reservations about your relationship with my son.

"I know." I lower my head.

"You know?" She asks, shocked, her eyebrows shooting up. I nod.

"Okay, there's no easy way to say this, Isabella, and I don't like to bullshit. Please forgive my lack of tact, but this _thing _between you and my son can't work."

My head shoots up at the use of her language. Edward curses all the time, but it just seems weird coming from the mouth of his mother. I open my mouth to protest, but she halts my speaking.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you're a terrific young woman and a great catch for any young man, but not my Edward."

"Why?" I choke out the only words I can articulate, I feel tears prickling in the corner of my eyes. They're not from hurt or sadness; this is pure anger.

"I think you know why, Isabella." She doesn't divert her eyes from my face.

"Money." I whisper and the traitor tears escape.

"Yes, money." She confirms arrogantly. "Let me explain something to you, Isabella that Edward probably hasn't bothered to tell you. You're a distraction for him. More so, you're a way for him to stick it to us for trying to 'control' his life, as he would put it.

"Isn't that what you're doing?" My courage emerges as I glare back at her. I watch as her eyes turn cold, and she rises from the chair, walks around the desk and sits on the edge. She looks at me and smirks. _Well I'll be damned; they all do it!_

"You're a feisty one aren't you? I admire that, but you see, _Isabella, _her voice oozes with malice, "I want what's best for my son, and you're not it."

She tosses her long, red tresses to one side and eyes me skeptically.

"I can definitely see why Edward is so enthralled by you. Your wide-eyed innocence and aloofness could be misconstrued as charming. You're like a toy to him, a marionette so to speak."

_Did she just call me a puppet?_

"He sees this young, pretty girl with doe eyes and hopefulness, and he thinks he can turn her into Cinderella by buying her clothes and jewels, whisking her away to places she's never been before. I bet you had never been to a banquet before the one Edward took you to, have you?"

She doesn't give me a chance to respond. She just keeps right on giving me compliments and snatching them away with insults. Edward is right. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when it came to dealing with his parents.

"That dress you wore, Edward bought it, didn't he?" It isn't a question.

"I don't know what that has to do with anything." I'm getting angrier by the minute.

"It has everything to do with the fact that you're not for my son. Now, I know that Edward is charming, wealthy and dreamy; sexy too, if that's appropriate for a mother to say, but he's charmed lots of women. It's what he does. It's like a sport to him….like Nascar racing, beautiful cars, fast pace, not that you're fast or anything."

_What the fuck?_

"Let's just say he has a deep fascination for the female persuasion, and you're no different. Well maybe a tad different, but still not for him. Edward is an extremely wealthy, young man and we need to protect him from…outsiders."

I take a deep breath and still my shoulders before I speak. I want to let her know that I love her son and I'm not afraid of her, or her browbeating.

"I know you think I'm after his wealth, your wealth, but I don't want his money. I love him, and I'm going to school on my own, he's not paying for any of it. I've been doing that since before I met him, and will continue to do so." My voice escalates with the pent up rage I'm holding in.

"Ah yes. You're going to be an animal doctor," she says condescendingly." It's a little detached from the real thing, but a good choice for you. I can definitely see you doing something like that."

_Bitch!_

I'm fuming now. How dare she insult me like this. She's worse than Tanya. I never expected it to be this bad. I was all prepared for her to say that I wasn't good enough for Edward and even take a couple of '_you're after my son for his money'_ shots, but she's a sadistic twist on momma bear.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cullen," _Yeah we're back to that. _ "But, could the 'real thing' you're referring to, be the same 'real thing' that you kept your son from in college? He told me that he was pre-med and that you crushed that dream for him."

Her eyes widen, then narrow into slits. She's pissed off. I bet she's never had anyone outside of her own family stand up to her before, and it bugs the shit out of her.

"I'm not going to discuss family business with you, Isabella." She bites out my name like it's the dirtiest word she's ever heard. "Stay away from my son or you'll regret it. Lock the door on your way out." She concludes and saunters out of the office.

"It's Bella!" I shout, but I doubt she cares to acknowledge me. _Isabella's regal, my ass!_

I stand there with my chest and shoulders heaving rapidly. I try regulating my breathing, but it isn't working. I have to get out of here. I wipe my hands over my face, ridding it of tears. I grab my laptop and shove it into my bag, storming past Lauren's desk. I'm sure she heard the last part of our conversation. Well, technically she heard me, since she was as cool as a cucumber, and I on the other hand, was screaming at the top of my lungs. My entire day is ruined, and all I wanted to do was get my damned laptop. I guess this meeting with her was bound to happen. One thing is certain. I will not be staying away from Edward, especially not now.

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.

"Come, buy me a hotdog." I drag Jake towards the lunch truck in the park.

"You're a bossy little thing since you've learned you're cancer-free."

"You mentioned the C word so now I get two hotdogs, and I want them loaded up with chili, cheese, mustard, the works. I'm starving."

"For such a tiny girl, you eat like a…"

"Don't you dare say it!" I punch him in the arm.

"Ow, okay fine." He laughs, with that big, beautiful smile that I missed so much. His smile is infectious. After the day I've had, all I have to do is look at Jake's smile, and the bad crap disappears.

We find a spot on the bench and eat. I'm not ready to tell him all of my news, so I opt to get him to tell me about the job and the pending move.

"When are you starting the new job?" I take a healthy bite of my hotdog. _Mmmm yummy!_

"Effective immediately. He reaches out and brushes the remains of my hotdog toppings from my chin.

"Whoa, they're not giving you time to move?"

"They are going to pay to have my things packed up and sent or put in storage, whichever I prefer. I need to find a place to live, though. One of the bosses offered to rent me his loft until I find something permanent. I haven't been to see it yet.

"A loft? Oh my God! You haven't seen it yet?"

"No, should I be more excited?" he asks, feigning annoyance.

"Shut up and yes, you should. This is like the best news."

"I think it pales in comparison to your news." He says seriously as he brushes a strand of hair out of my eyes. "Besides, I'm just going to throw a mattress and a pool table in it, maybe a fridge, oh and some weights. Boom! Instant home."

"Don't forget about Lola," I add, finishing up my second hot dog.

"I definitely didn't forget about her. My cousin Paul is driving up to bring her." He balls up his hotdog wrapper and tosses it in the trashcan. "So do you want to go and see the place?"

"Absolutely." I jump to my feet with excitement.

"Are you sure your boyfriend isn't lurking in the bushes, waiting to jump out and go for round two with me?"

"Shut up, Jake."

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.

.

We're at the loft; it's really spacious and really…white.

"We're going to have to give this place some color," I say, frowning at the bare windows.

"Are you applying for the job?" He leans against the doorframe, staring at me.

"Why not. It could be fun." I walk toward the kitchen. "You already have a fridge," I shout and turn to find him already standing behind me. "Sorry."

"I don't have my truck yet, but if you're serious about helping me make this place a home, we could start shopping for supplies in yours."

"Yay! Let's go, I know the perfect color for your living area. Wait, are you allowed to paint the walls?"

"Yeah, the guy is cool, Bella, and we are not painting my walls pink or purple or any of that girly shit. Just so you know."

"Pink and purple…eww! I was thinking more brown tones. Let's hurry before all the stores close."

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.

Once we've finished picking out the colors and tools for painting, we head to a few other stores, and true to his word, Jake orders a pool table and a mattress. We argue continuously about getting a box spring and bed frame for it. I cannot fathom that he would actually put a mattress on the floor and just sleep on it as is. I nag him incessantly until he agrees on the box spring, but eighty-sixes the frame, saying it's girly. I ask him flat out what he's going to do if he's planning on having female company. He replies by asking me if I'm applying for the job. That ends the conversation.

On our way back, we stop at my place so I can check on Sadie and see what Ange is up to.

"Oh, Bella Swan, you do love living dangerously." Angela laughs as she spots Jake, Sadie and me coming through the door. "Hi Jake." She calls from the kitchen.

"Hey."

I roll my eyes at her statement and walk into the kitchen, leaving Jake playing tug-of-war with Sadie in the living room.

"Edward 's head is going to fly off." She giggles uncontrollably.

"It is not. Stop creating drama." I say in a shushing whisper.

"What the hell, Bella? You leave here two days ago with Prince Charming and come back with Mc Hottie. What did I miss?"

"Mc Hottie? Jake?" I scrunch up my face. _You know he's hot, so don't feign ignorance. _I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. "It's a long story, I'll tell you all about it later tonight, but what's the big news you have to tell me?"

"Oh my God! Edward's brother came into the store yesterday, and he gave me his cell number!" She half-squeals and whispers.

"What? Oh my….God! What did you do? I know you damned near fainted."

"I didn't want to seem too eager. I played it cool and just listed his number in my phone and screamed like a maniac after he left. God, he's so hot! " She says breathlessly.

Angela has had a crush on James ever since she first saw him, kind of like I did with Edward. Surprisingly, even though I know James is sort of a playboy, I'm certain he wouldn't hurt Angela. He's sweet, funny and charming, like Edward.

"Anyway, I have class in an hour, so I have to go, but I want to hear all about Mc Hotie and the banquet when I get home."

"Okay, we'll talk later." I sigh and reach into the fridge for a drink.

"Mc Hottie, huh?"

"Jake! " I jump, spilling the ice-cold water down the front of my shirt. "You scared the crap out of me."

He grins at me with all twenty-six of his goddamned perfect teeth.

'You think I'm hot?" He's still grinning.

"Your walls aren't going to paint themselves, so let's go."

"Nice dodge, Bella."

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.

.

I'm surprised that I haven't received any calls from Edward yet. Maybe I'm just being paranoid and missing him too much. I let the paintbrush in my hand stroke lazily in an up and down motion. I'm completely lost in my thoughts when Jake interrupts from behind.

"That spot is going to be a deeper brown than the rest of the entire house, Bella. What are you thinking about?"

"Have you ever had a secret that you felt you couldn't tell anyone?" I turn to face him.

"I can't say that I ever have, unless if you mean stealing my father's playboy magazine's when I was a kid and…well you get the idea." He says humorously and resumes painting the baseboard.

"I didn't mean like that, Jake." I laugh and flick my wrist, making the brush fling paint onto the back of his shirt. He stiffens, but doesn't turn around.

"You are so going to pay for that." He says calmly as he reaches behind and one-handedly pulls his t-shirt off, dropping it to the floor and lunges for me. I squeal and try to turn quickly to run, but he catches me by the waist, and we both stumble over the drop cloth and fall to the floor, me lying on top of him.

I'm giggling non-stop, while his laughter begins to slowly subside. I notice that his expression changes and I assume that I've hurt him with the impact of the fall.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Yeah right." He whispers huskily. Seconds tick by and we're still in the same position. _Why can't I move? Get up, Bella!_

Our breathing speeds up as we stare at each other. I watch as his hand slowly comes up and tenderly brushes my cheek. His eyes flicker back and forth from my eyes to my mouth. I can't seem to take my eyes off his. They're so brown, deep brown. It's like a slow moving train. His lips brush mine and my body freezes immediately, but my lips start to move with his. He sighs deeply and threads his other hand through the back of my hair, holding me firmly to him. When I feel his tongue sweep my lips and his bulge poking my thigh, I rip away from him and stand up quickly, my hand clasped over my mouth.

"Oh my God!" I whisper, terrified.

"Bella, what is it?" He's staring at me like I just lost my mind.

"Can you…." I gesture wildly. "Can you put on a shirt?"

He looks down at his bare chest and glares back at me with furrowed eyebrows. "Don't do that, don't over think this, Bella. There is something going on between us, and it's not the first time we've both noticed." He rises to his feet and steps forward to close the distance. I react by taking a step back.

_Oh God not this again…not now!_

"I felt you kiss me back, Bella. I didn't imagine it either."

"I'm with Ed…"

"Don't say his name! He's not here, Bella. I am, and you were kissing me, not him!" he yells.

"I'm pregnant with his baby!" I shout back. "This can _never _happen again, Jake, _ever_." I shake my head.

He gapes at me as if I've slapped him. "You're pregnant? I thought you said…"

I cut him off. "I thought that I wasn't, but the doctor took a blood test as well as the mammogram and it came back positive." Three emotions wash over his face in rapid succession. He looks shocked, angry and flat out pissed off.

"Are you keeping the baby?" he asks through clenched teeth.

_Wha..huh?_

"Of course, I..I'm keeping it! I stammer, finding his question inconceivable. "How could I not keep it, Jacob?"

I hadn't even considered not keeping the baby. I love Edward and no matter how this happened, he loves me, and he'll love this baby.

"Does he know?" He's glaring daggers at me.

_Why is he trying to intimidate me?_

"I haven't told him yet, I'm waiting for him to come back from his business trip."

"Jesus, Bella!" He throws up his hands and walks to the other side of the room. "You're nineteen, how could you have been so stupid?"

I gasp at his words. They hurt undoubtedly, but who the hell is he to make such comments about me?

"Excuse me?" I'm so pissed off with him. "I guess if it was you, it would've been fine huh, Jake." I spit.

"If it were me, you wouldn't be knocked up at nineteen!"

"I can't believe you! I thought you would be the one person I could tell this to and not be judged."

"So this was that whole 'secret' bullshit that you were talking about? That fucking guy…" his voice trails off, and he slams his fist into the wall. "That fucking asshole is like what, thirty years old? I bet he's been with tons of women. He knows the importance of rubbers," he snaps.

_He's literally snapped._

"Jake, he's twenty- three, no different from you." I say sarcastically.

"Nuh uh, the difference is, I would've known better than to get you pregnant." He states coolly and reaches into his backpack and yanks on a clean t-shirt.

"You know what, Jake, I really thought things were going to be so amazing having you here, but now…things just seem complicated."

"Why, because you're pregnant or because you want me?" He crosses his arms over his chest and watches me.

I snort at his flippant attitude and grab my things as I start for the door. He jumps in my path and stares at me for a moment, before he steps aside and lets me leave. I pause once I'm on the other side of the door and lightly bang the back of my head against it. This day is just getting better.

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~W~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**_ EPOV_**

Of all the times I've wished for a flight to be over quickly, this one seems to be over faster than I want, even though I prayed and pleaded for it to be longer. I'm in absolutely no rush to get to where I'm going today. I just want to turn around and go back to Chicago, grab Bella and disappear off the face of the earth, or flee to Africa. We could have a great life there. _Wake up Cullen, this is the real world._

"Edward? What's going on? Is it Bella?" He asks immediately as he opens the door before I have a chance to knock.

"Bella's fine, but I'm here to speak with you."

"Um…yeah, sure thing kid, although I have to admit this sounds serious." He steps aside to let me in and gestures to the couch. "Wait a second," he looks as if he's just had some revelation, "are you here to ask for Bella's hand?" He's crouching slightly above his chair.

I think about his question for a brief moment before sighing and running a hand through my hair.

"I'm not here to ask you for permission to marry Bella, Charlie. I'm here because I know about the money," I answer, exasperated.

"Come again?" His eyebrows shoot up.

"The money, Charlie I know about the drug money."

"What in Sam hell, are you talking about?" He continues to act astonished and rather annoyed.

Reaching inside my jacket, I toss the envelope of pictures on the coffee table.

"What's this?" He eyes the envelope and looks back at me.

I don't respond I just look at him, urging him with my eyes to open it. He quickly snatches the packet, and he flips through the photos, without fully taking them out of the envelope. I watch as his eyes widen, and his brows knit together in anger. His nostrils flare and his jaw clenches, over and over. I'm well prepared for him to take a swing at me once I see his expression as he finally looks up at me.

"Where the hell did you get these?"

"That's not important." I respond immediately.

"No? Then what the hell are you trying to prove by flying all the way down here and showing me these?"

I scrub my face roughly with my hands, realizing it's true, although he doesn't confirm it, I just know it's the truth. A part of me was hoping that what Emmett told me was a lie, but deep down I knew it wasn't.

"Did you show this shit to Isabella!" He shouts, jumping up from his chair.

"No, and I don't plan on it," I say calmly. "Why did you do it, Charlie?"

"Listen kid, I don't know where or how you got this, but I don't owe you an explanation for anything! You got that?" he yells irately over the top of me with his finger pointed directly in my face.

I sit with my hands folded and my eyes focused on the floor. I nod at his statement and decide not to press that part of the issue any further.

"You have to put the money back, Charlie." I remain calm.

"Look, I told you I'm not discussing…"

"You have to put it back! This will kill Bella." I finally shout, leaping to my feet, glaring at him.

"I thought you said you weren't going to tell her?"

"Fuck." I whisper harshly and walk over to the mantel. My anger is beginning to spiral out of control, and I need to put some distance between us. The last thing Bella needs to hear about is her father and I fist-fighting in the middle of the living room where she grew up. While I stand at the mantelpiece, an earlier picture of Bella catches my gaze. She must have been about sixteen or seventeen years old, still wide-eyed and beautiful. She's wearing a white graduation cap and holding a diploma, sporting the biggest smile. To her left wearing an identical smile, is Charlie. He looks almost, if not, happier than her.

"She was so happy that day. She was excited about college." I hear him say from across the room.

I pick up the frame and look more closely at her. Instinctively, my finger traces the contours of her face. She's so perfect…the epitome of every man's dream girl. Big beautiful eyes, blushing red cheeks, long wavy mahogany hair and the sweetest giggle you ever wanted to hear coming from permanent, pouty lips. _Fuck, you are so gone Cullen._

I exhale, set the frame back down and turn to face him. His expression has softened a bit, but his defenses are clearly still up.

"After struggling with all of Renee's medical treatments and bills, there was nothing left for college. I couldn't disappoint her like that. She had already lost too much."

I watch his demeanor change drastically as he explains, clearly agonized, why he took the money. The more he says, the worse I feel. There's going to be no happy ending for any of us.

"You have to give the money back, Charlie. It's the only way." I say with finality.

"I can't give it back. I don't have it!" He spits, anger escalating once more. He sinks down in his chair, gripping his hair. "I paid for Bella's tuition with it."

_Christ!_

"How much did you take?"

"You seem to know everything. Why don't you tell me how much?" He adds sarcastically.

"Charlie." I warn.

I'm in no mood for his shit. I'll beat it out of him if I have to and deal with the consequences of assaulting a cop and father of the woman I love later.

"Fifty thousand."

"I'm assuming it has to be replaced as cash." I realize that there's only one solution to this problem, and I'm not referring to the money.

"Yeah."

"I'll have it to you by this evening."

His head shoots up, and his mouth opens, ready to protest. I beat him to the punch, silencing him with my own protest.

"I cannot sit back and watch while Bella loses another parent. It will kill her." I glance back at the mantel filled with pictures. This time my eyes focus on a younger Bella with her mom.

_Jesus, they do have the same eyes._

"Those photos were given to me because my parents are not very approving of my relationship with Bella. They know hurting you would be the best way to accomplish separating us."

"Your parents?" He looks bewildered. "They're doing this to split you and my baby girl up?"

"I though you deserved to know the truth."

He immediately jumps to his feet, and his temper nearly goes through the roof. I can't say I blame him.

"What kind of people would do something like this?"

"The selfish, greedy kind that would do anything to protect their money. I'm their guarantee to a secured, wealthy life."

"This is about _your_ money?

I nod.

"Listen buddy, Isabella is the sweetest girl you'll ever meet, and she's proud like me, if nothing else. She doesn't want your goddamned money! She's in love with you!"

"Don't you think I know that? She can have every dime; I don't care! I love her more than anything." I yell and pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Jesus Christ kid." He sighs. "You can't allow them to blackmail you with this. Where are your balls, son?"

"Your daughter is sporting them around her neck with lock and key." I snap but regret the statement once the words are out of my mouth.

"Watch it! I have a loaded gun on that coffee table and won't hesitate to use it to defend my daughter's honor."

_Jesus Cullen, you have lost it, he's the chief of police and Bella's father._

"I'm sorry." I hold up my palms in surrender. "I just meant that…"

"Fortunately, I know what you meant. Just watch it."

"Look, Charlie, if I choose to ignore this, my parents will do their worst, which is turning you in. Believe me, they have absolutely no problem with ruining your life to get what they want. It's all justifiable to them."

"So wait, where does that leave you and Bella? You…you're not planning on dumping her, are you?"

"I have to, there's no other alternative." My heart clenches as I let the words roll around in my head. "I won't be the reason she loses you."

"But she'll lose _you_. Don't you think that will hurt her too?" He asks, in a concerned tone.

I swallow thickly and take a deep breath before I say the next words. "She'll get over me. There will be other guys. You are the only father she will ever have. She agonizes over her mother's death. She can't lose you."

"Then you'll have to hurt her," he scoffs, "because she'll fight for you. I've never seen her this crazy about a guy. She loves you."

My heart swells and breaks all at the same time. "I know." I say quietly.

"This is not good. My God, Edward…I'm so sorry." He buries his head in his hands.

"I would have done the same if I had a daughter. I _will_ do anything for Bella's happiness, and she needs you to be happy." I walk over to the door and grasp the handle. "I'll be back with the money around six and there will be enough for the remainder of Bella's college education, and if she wants to continue her schooling after that. There will be extra for her living expenses as well.

"Edward you don't have to do this. This is my mess and you two kids shouldn't have to suffer for it."

I ignore his final plea and open the door. "Just make sure you put the money back."

He sighs and nods.

"Bella is to know nothing about this." I say before I close the door behind me.

.

.

.

I drop the money off at Charlie's as arranged. I have one last loose end to tie up before returning home and ripping out my heart. _Selfish prick! You're going to be ripping out her heart and crushing it with your own hands._

I stare at Renee Swan's headstone, making sure that it's one that Bella would approve of. I made arrangements for it before I left for Florida. I knew as soon as Bella told me that they couldn't afford a headstone for her mother that I had to do this for her, for them.

"In loving memory of Renee M. Swan, devoted wife and loving mother." I read aloud. "Until the day we'll see you again. We love you. Rest in peace, Mom." I exhale and kneel down to straighten her flowers.

"Bella said you loved Calla Lillies. I hope these are the right ones." I clear my throat. "She's just as beautiful as you. Same brown eyes. It's my nickname for her you know…Brown Eyes. Of course you know that." I clear my throat once more, feeling the lump emerge.

"She's amazing…but you know that as well. I'm failing miserably here." I gave a nervous chuckle. "I know you've been watching over her, and you've seen all the horrible mistakes I've made." I lower my head and sigh. I pause, trying to compose myself. "This is not a mistake though...is it? I'm doing the right thing by letting her go, aren't I?" I feel a single tear slip down my cheek, and I brush it away roughly. "She gave me this again." I pull the silver heart out from under my shirt. "I told her I wouldn't take it again until I was worthy of its sentiment. I thought I was, I truly thought I was, but now…" I shake my head in shame.

"Please forgive me for what I'm about to do," I whisper, choking back a sob.

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~W~~~~~~~~~~~_**

* * *

**_ Let me know your thoughts, readers and reviewers._**

**_ Next up is Charlie's POV along with a bit of Tanya._**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Something's Brewing**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_A/N: This will be a long one. Reviews were mixed for the last chapter. Some readers were not happy with the direction the plot is taking, and I'm sorry that they feel disappointed. However, I can only write the story as I feel it. This is a romantic/angst story as classified in the story description. It's a bumpy ride I know, but there will be a HEA. I hope you stick with it. This chapter contains high angst. Enter at your own risk._**

**EPOV**

As I step through the door, my senses are assaulted by the smell of fresh herbs and garlic. Someone's cooking. _Maybe it's Alice. It sure as hell isn't Bella. Bella doesn't cook_. As it turns out, I'm wrong. I approach the kitchen and see a fan of mahogany hair swirling softly in the air. I watch her as she places pot after pot on the kitchen island, lifting lids to smell and smiling her approval.

She's dressed differently from what she'd normally be wearing around the house or going to class; pale blue dress that falls just above her knees and thin straps that show off her beautiful neck to perfection. The fabric looks like silk. It caresses her body perfectly in all the right places. My eyes travel the length of her legs, noticing that her feet are bare. I had noticed her heeled shoes carelessly scattered by the fireplace when I came in. I'm sure she initially wore it to complete the sexy outfit, but gave up on them. Bella hates wearing heels. From this distance, I can see that she's wearing makeup, and her hair looks as if she's been to a salon.

I lose track of how long I stand and watch her, obsessing, before she enters the dining area to arrange the place settings. She is so engrossed that she doesn't notice that me. I toss my keys on the coffee table to alert her to my presence and startle her from her task. She looks up in alarm, and her eyes lock with mine.

"Oh my goodness, Edward!" She gasps in admonishment, holding her chest. I make no move to approach her, even though I want to so badly. "You scared me!" She scurries toward me and throws her arms around my neck.

"I should be livid with you. Not one single call or text while you were away, and you didn't tell me what time your flight was getting in. I could kill you, but I've missed you too much to go to jail tonight."

My arms come up slowly, loosely encasing her waist. I bury my nose in the crook of her neck and just inhale. _I can't do this. I can never let go._

A bell chime suddenly sounds, interrupting us. "Oh my God, the chicken!" She wrenches away from me, and I almost greedily snatch her back into my arms, hating the void I'm left with.

"I have to go check on dinner. You stay here." She kisses me lightly and takes off for the kitchen. Ignoring her request, I slowly follow her, not uttering a word.

"Edward! No, you have to wait in there. This is a part of your surprise, and you're going to ruin it," she says when she sees me walking through the archway. I shake my head, silencing her and walk up behind her, placing my hands on her hips. I let the silkiness and fragrance of her hair caress my nose and forehead, while grazing her ass with my erection. _I need to feel you one last time like this, Brown Eyes, just one last time._

"Edward, you have to stop, or I'm going to chop off a finger."

I gently reach around and pry the knife from her fingers, while I brush my lips back and forth over her shoulder. Gathering her hair to one side, I drag one thin strap of her dress down, planting wet, open-mouthed kisses along the way. I caress her thighs, pulling her dress up in the process and expose her bare ass. _Fuck no panties! _ I'm no longer able to contain myself as I take in the sight. I reach down and run my hand over her supple flesh and in-between her legs to make sure she's ready. I part her folds, letting the wetness coat my fingers.

"Edward, I…"

"Shhh. Spread your legs." I finally whisper my first words to her; I unzip my pants, reach inside and stroke myself. She does as I ask, and I free my cock, lining it up with her wetness. Bending her body gently over the island, I thrust inside of her.

"Oh!" she gasps from the sudden intrusion. I hold onto her hips, just lingering inside of her body, savoring the feel of her warmth and tightness. It will never feel this way again, not with another. She's it for me, and I had to have her one last time.

"Edward, you have to move." She pants, while writhing, trying to create some friction.

I grit my teeth and pull out slightly, then thrust back in harder, causing her to grip the edge of the island. I still my movements, lingering and savoring again as I feel her walls squeeze me over and over. Making no sound at all, I slam into her roughly. The sound of clanging metal rings in the air as the bowl of vegetables bounces and rattles around on the tiled floor.

"Oh God!" she groans as my hands latch onto her breasts, kneading and squeezing. Her sounds are driving me insane. They're enough to send my body into overdrive. I grind and pound my cock into her, grunting.

"Fuck me back, baby." I murmur in her ear as I bow over her body and spread my hands over hers. We both grab a hold of the island ledge tightly, our fingers flexing and straining with the grip.

"Ah!" she yells out as I bend my knees and thrust upward, hitting the spot I know will shatter her completely.

"Ahhh… fuck me back, Bella!" I growl as I feel my climax closing in. She starts raising her ass to meet my thrusts, and white-hot intensity shoots through me like lightening.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! No!" I roar as I pulse violently inside of her, exhaling raggedly, my voice hoarse as I try to regulate my breathing.

I sit for minutes, letting the remnants of my orgasm fully expel before I lean back up. Pissed off with myself, I pull out of her reluctantly and hiss. I feel like shit, acting so weirdly, fucking her roughly across the island, and she isn't privy to the reason of my actions. I don't think she even came. _You selfish motherfucker! _

She finally turns around to face me, watching me skeptically. The minimal amount of make-up she's wearing is smeared across her cheekbone, her hair wild. Her chest heaves up and down as she tries to regulate her breathing. Her dress is still bunched up around her waist as I watch her trembling hand reach out and stroke my semi-hard cock that's poking out from under my shirt. I'm fully dressed, shirt, shoes and dick hanging out of my pants. I wince from the sensitivity and still her hand immediately before I end up spreading her wide on the counter and continuing where I left off.

She reaches up, returning, her dress to its rightful position, and I realize that this could be the last time I ever get to see her like this; aroused, flushed, beautiful. _Last time? Fuck that!_ I grab the back of her neck and crush her lips to mine, plunging my tongue into her mouth. Our teeth crash together as we scrape and bite at each other's lips. I'm kissing her recklessly. She tries desperately to keep up with my aggressive behavior as I grab the sides of her face in both my hands, swallowing her whimpers like my life depends on it.

I feel her hands fumbling with the buttons on my shirt, greedily yanking at my pants, causing them to pool around my ankles. I break away from her, breathing roughly, tearing open my shirt. I hear the buttons bounce and scatter on the floor. I pull her to me and hike her up around my waist as I stumble into the living room. We reach the bottom of the stairs, my boxer's midway down my thighs. I step out of my shoes as she uses her feet to push my boxers down my legs. With one hand, I tear her dress over her head, while holding her up securely with the other. I let the dress float to the floor.

We fall clumsily onto the bed. I rise up, bracing my hands on either side of her head and stare into her eyes.

"I have to tell you something," she breathes and trails a single finger down my cheek.

"No." I shake my head, not wanting to talk. Talking will ruin everything. "No talking. I want you to fuck me." I roll us over so she's straddling me. I grab my cock and guide it into her, still slick from our previous encounter.

"Fuck me, Bella." I instruct her once more. She slowly gyrates while my sharp thrusts bounce her upwards. "Mmm, yes baby, just like that. Ride my cock." I moan and control her hips, setting the pace that I love. _How can I ever let go? How can I never feel this way again_? I'm having an internal battle with myself, dangling off the edge of reality and the right thing to do.

I watch closely as her face contorts in pleasure from what I'm doing to her body. I love every bit of it. The way her eyebrows furrow in concentration, as she gets lost while I'm inside her. The way she bites her lip, letting me know how good it feels when my cock hits that perfect spot. I'm in tune with every part of her body, studying it, memorizing it, knowing what she loves.

I meant what I said before, no one has ever felt like her, and no one ever will. She is mine, and I am hers…forever. There's nothing that can change that in my heart, even though the day of reckoning is approaching.

"Oh…Edward…don't stop, it feels so good."

"Right here, baby?" I roll my hips, delving deeper. Her eyes remain closed as she bites her lip and nods her response.

"I'm going to come!" She whispered breathlessly, clenching and releasing my cock in quick succession.

"Mmmm, just like that, keep fucking me." I command softly, pushing and pulling her hips back and forth. I dig my fingers into the warm flesh of her ass, as I silently try to convey the feelings I can no longer utter aloud. _Please look at me. See me. I love you._

"Oh God!"

"Ahhh fuck! Ride my cock!" The more I talk to her the more erratic her movements become. She's coming apart. I can feel the sweet grip of her walls enveloping me, squeezing me, sucking me in deeper. She's close, but I'm not ready to follow. I need more. I rise up and gently tug on her hair, causing her neck to arch as I trail kisses down her throat until my lips are met with the softness of her breasts.

I wrap my lips around her erect nipple and swirl my tongue, eliciting a deep moan from the back of her throat. Her hands shoot to my hair, gripping roughly. It hurts like a son of a bitch, but I'm too far-gone to care.

"Oh…God!" she screams, as I feel her juices coat my cock. Burying my face in the valley of her breasts, I keep sliding in an out of her slickness. I wrap my arms tightly around her waist, impaling her on me, as I continue thrusting upwards.

"Please, Edward, I.." she whispers, her body thoroughly spent, arms draped loosely around my neck, her skin drenched deliciously with sweat, but I can't stop…not until she knows that no one will ever make her feel this way. _Only me._

"Only me." I mumble into her wet skin, my thoughts coming to life. "Say it. Only me."

"Only…you." She whispers, understanding what I mean. Her lips tickle my ear; her head is tucked in the crook of my neck, her moans replaced by only sharp intakes of air, as I continue moving inside of her.

I recline back, taking her with me, causing her to spread wider once again. I need to feel her in a way that I never have before. I need to claim her in a way that no man has ever done before. I let my hand creep slowly down her ass, and I begin stroking her gently, each time moving closer to her puckered tightness. I can feel her heart rate pick up when she finally registers what I'm doing. I spread her cheeks a little more and insert my finger slowly, gently.

"Ahhh! " She moans and braces herself up on both hands. I begin pumping in and out with both my finger and cock, making sure she's receiving dual pleasure.

"Ahhhh, Oh God! Ahhh!" She screams out, as I feel her thighs squeeze mine.

"Fuck! Yes, baby! That's it. Show me how good this is! Come apart for me!" I growl, reach in-between our bodies and stroke her clit with the pad of my thumb, still penetrating her from the front and back. She sits up and rides me harder, and I can't take it anymore. I pull out of her behind and grip her hips, while I raised mine at an angle so my cock sits straight up inside her.

She looked down and at the sight of me sliding in and out of her, and it causes her body to convulse.

"Unnngggg! Ahhhhh! I'm coming again!"

"Fuck! Shit!" I grit my teeth, feeling my orgasm creeping up. I watch her back arch and her head fly back then loll forward as her body shakes violently. A loud screech escapes her mouth, followed by a silent 'o' shape that forms on her lips. And as forceful as my own climax is threatening to be, I can't find it in me to tear my eyes away from her, to not watch her ride it out…to not miss a single expression. She's coming harder than I've ever seen her come before, her body still jerking with sharp tremors.

"Oh fuck! Bella!" I grind out and shoot three long spurts inside of her. She perches above me, her shallow, choppy breaths caressing my face, the dampness of her skin coating the palms of my hands, wisps of hair sticking to her flushed cheeks. This is the look that will be embedded in my brain forever…every time I think of her…every time I don't want to think of her…it will be there, haunting me, taunting me. We're passionate, primal. We've just made love, fucked each others brains out, and now I have to figure out a way to leave. _How?_

She finally collapses onto my chest and is asleep within minutes. I, on the other hand, with all the energy I can muster, find myself clambering out of bed on wobbly legs, and I head to the bar for a drink.

I sit by the window, nursing my glass of brandy. I can't come to grips with the fact that I'm about to walk away from the only love I've ever known. Yes, we're young, but I know we belong together. I look over to the bed and marvel at the exquisite creature that's sprawled across my bed. _All that beautiful, mahogany hair._ I shake my head, quickly downing the rest of my drink, and I walk over to the bed, grab the duvet and drape it over Bella's sleeping form. She never budges. I climb in next to her and slide her body across the sheets, closer to me. She hums in contentment as I bury my head in the back of her neck and drift off.

A buzzing noise disrupts my sleep.

"Hmm?"

It sounds again.

"Hmmmm? What the fuck?" I snap and scrub my face roughly.

The buzzing continues relentlessly.

"I'm trying to fucking sleep!" I half yell, briefly waking Bella. _Why is it that some people have no respect for the early morning hours_

"Edward?" she mumbles groggily.

"I'm sorry, go back to sleep." I caress her, lulling her back to sleep.

I reach for my phone and tap the screen to answer it. She doesn't give me the chance to say a word.

"I'm at your door. I need to see you right now."

She doesn't wait for a reply and the line goes dead.

"Fuck." I whisper.

I throw the covers off irritably and walk across the room, roughly pulling on a pair of jeans. Putting on my glasses, I head down the stairs taking them two at a time, stalk over to the door and yank it open.

"What!" I say through clenched teeth.

"I haven't heard from you, and it's been a week since our last conversation. I'm starting to think you're avoiding me." She's clearly aggravated and enters of her own accord. _The nerve of this…_words fail me…respectful ones, anyway. And to think I've contemplated being strapped to her for the rest of my life. I would rather take my chances in the fiery pits of hell, which is where I'm probably headed after hurting Bella.

"Contrary to what you may or may not think, the world doesn't revolve around you and your dilemmas, Tanya." I wave a hand dismissively.

"Oh but this isn't about _my _dilemma, Edward. This is about your _girlfriend's _dilemma, or the one she will have, if you don't get rid of her." She scowls in my direction, voice escalating."

"Turn down your fucking volume!" I seethe in a hushed tone, my eyes glancing to the top of the stairs, hoping not to see Bella. The last thing I want is for her to find out about Charlie this way.

"Why? Don't tell me she's here?" She scoffs, her eyes scouring the entire living room before focusing on the clothing that's strewn from the kitchen to the living room floor.

"Hmmm, what's this?" She gingerly picks up Bella's dress. "Getting a little 'goodbye, nice knowing ya' nookie?"

"Get out of here, Tanya." I yank the dress from her hands.

"You have until the end of the week to break the news to her, or Charlie Swan goes to prison. God, how poetic would that be?" She says, eerily sweetly, as she sashays out of the door.

I sigh heavily and sink down on the bottom step, still holding Bella's dress. I ghost my fingers over the delicate material. _She probably spent her entire paycheck on this. _ I lift it to my nose and inhale deeply. How the fuck am I going to do this? _Tanya said I had to the end of the week. That miserable, little bitch! _

_I could spend the rest of the week giving Bella amazing days and beautiful, passionate nights. I could lavish her with everything her heart desires. But then what? Rip the rug right from underneath her? Fuck!_

I walk over to the sofa and neatly place her dress across the arm. I have to get out of here before she wakes up. There's no way that I can face her after what happened last night. Grabbing my shoes and the shirt I wore last night from the floor, I decide that I'll shower and change at work. It's the easier way. _ It's the cowardly way._

I reach for my keys on the coffee table and discreetly close the door behind me.

.

.

.

_How the fuck could I have done that?_

I had sex with Bella last night and disappeared in the morning, like it meant nothing. Being the selfish, greedy bastard that I am, it was so hard not to be with her in that way just once more. I wanted to crawl inside of her and never come out. This entire situation is becoming ridiculous. I just don't know the right thing to do anymore. _Leave Bella forever and never see her again?_ How the hell would that work? We both live in the same state not more than twenty minutes apart.

Making a screeching u-turn that I'd be sure to get a citation for if caught, I head in the opposite direction to my office. I need to just drive, not go anywhere in particular…just drive.

It's still unseasonably warm outside so I put the top down, jerk the clutch and speed down the highway. The harsh whip of the wind and the speed isn't enough to drown out my thoughts. I reach out to select some music. Turning up the volume as far as it will go, I throw on my sunglasses and try to let the music free me.

_"I really hate to let this moment go  
touching your skin and your hair falling slow  
when a goodbye kiss, feels like this"_

But I'm not free. With every word that blares from the speaker, I'm reminded of her. The first time I saw her…the nervousness in her face when I smiled at her.

_"don't you wanna stay here a little while  
don't you wanna hold each other tight  
don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight  
don't you wanna stay here a little while  
we can make forever feel this way  
don't you wanna stay_

_ let's take it slow I don't want to move to fast  
I don't wanna just make love, I wanna make love last when your up this high, it's a sad goodbye."_

Memories continue to flood my mind, from the time she first pissed me off and me picking her up and dragging her into my car. That was the night we first made love. I hear myself telling her as I move inside her for the first time, '_No one's ever felt like you'._ No matter what I do, I can't escape her. Her mark is on me forever, embedded in my chest, my heart. I love her. How can I walk away? I can't breathe, I can barely think anymore. I jerk the clutch again and press down more firmly on the accelerator. I watch the speedometer as the arrow creeps around slowly, the baseline of the music intensifying.

_"oh yeah!  
oh it feels so perfect baby..  
don't you wanna stay here a little while..  
_

_ Don't you wanna stay  
yeah yeah yeahhh  
yeah yeah yeahhh"_

I soar down the wet road, feeling the mist of water spray over me from the speed of the vehicle.

_Speed. That's the way our relationship started. _

We didn't get the chance to do things slowly, to take our time. We could have so much together. I want to give her the world. I want her to be the mother of my children. I want a life with her.

My upper lip curls in a snarl and a low growl rumbles deep in my chest as my foot presses down on the gas, trying to outrun my thoughts. I can no longer see anything but sharp flashes of our whirlwind love affair before my eyes.

The earsplitting noise of a horn pierces my ears, and I swerve to avoid the truck next to me.

"Fuck!" I grip the steering wheel, hearing the tires screech before everything goes black.

**BPOV**

I stretch and wince, feeling my muscles ache. It's a welcome ache that I wouldn't change for the world. Last night was…

"Wow!" I whisper to myself. "What. The. Hell. Was. That." I was equally shocked and captivated by the turn of events last night. _Damn him! He distracted me to the point where I didn't get a chance to tell him about the baby._

_Where is he?_ I know he has a knack for waking up at the crack of dawn. His iced coffee obsession is out of control. I jump out of the bed, wrap the sheet around my body and pad out of the room to the top of the stairs.

"Edward?" No answer. _Where is he?_

I walk back into the bedroom and notice how much in disarray it is. _Jesus, did we do all this?_

I flop back on the bed, thinking more about what happened. Making love to him that way was like nothing I've ever experienced. _God is it insane that he's turning into a D.i.l.f? Really, Bella, making love? You were both going at it like ferocious animals. Tsk, letting your 'baby daddy' fuck your ass with his finger. Oh my God, what finger was that!_

I shut off my silly internal rambling, realizing that my conscience is in warped overdrive, and if I don't get it under control soon, I'll be getting fitted for a straight jacket by the time this kid is born.

I look over to the clock and sigh. I have a twelve-thirty OB/GYN appointment and a one-thirty class to get to. I really had hoped to tell Edward about the baby before my first visit, in case he wanted to be there with me. _Of course he would want to be there._ It doesn't matter though. There'll be plenty of doctor's appointments he can attend with me, and I'll definitely tell him about the pregnancy this evening.

I move reluctantly, knowing that if I don't get up in the next minute, that I'd be stuck in bed all day. I let the sheet fall to the floor and make my way into the shower.

Nine weeks pregnant, that's the verdict that I'm given by Dr. Eleazar. I still can't get over it…not even the most invasive examination from a pelvic ultrasound can get me to wrap my head around the fact I'm pregnant.

After prescribing a regimen of folic acid and the mother of all horse pills, Dr. Eleazar has the nurse set up a four-week appointment for me.

Going to class would be a complete waste of time. I'll barely be able to follow what's going on without my notes, and I know that I've forgotten them over at the house of the person I least want to deal with right now.

I knock on the door and step back, waiting for him to answer. I knock once more and see him approaching the door through the curtain-less windows.

"I forgot my notes and my laptop." He steps aside, to allow me entrance without saying a word.

"I'm not coming in. Can you get it for me please?" I continue to avoid his gaze. From my periphery, I see him roll his eyes, before he disappears, leaving the door wide open. He returns with my bag, an unmistakable scowl on his face.

"Thanks." I take the bag from him and head back in the direction of my truck.

"I'm sorry, okay!" He yells at my retreating form, provoking me to let him have it.

"What exactly are you sorry for, Jake?" I spin around and glare at him.

"Come on, Bella, you know." He walks toward me, and I raise my eyebrows,, waiting for him to continue. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry for blowing up at you the way I did the other day." I watch him closely with my arms folded across my chest. "I'm sorry for the kiss too."

"That can't ever happen again, Jake. I feel like I cheated on Edward and it's just…"

"I know. I was out of line, and it won't happen again. I promise." There's a moment of awkward silence as we both stand there waiting on the other to say something. "Have you told him?"

"Wha…no!" I shriek, completely mortified. "Believe me, if I had told him you would know it."

"Yeah, I'd imagine he'd be over here, pounding on my door, trying to tear me limb from limb, but I wasn't talking about if you told him about you and me. I meant the baby?"

"Oh...no…not yet, but I will soon."

He nods and closes the distance between us. "I don't want to lose you as a friend, Bella. I really mean that, and I know I need to separate what I want from what I can have."

"You mean what you can't have, Jake, and you won't lose me as a friend as long as you understand that I'm with Edward, and he's the only one for me," I say sternly.

"I've got it." He holds up his hands in surrender.

I nod once and walk to my car.

"Does this mean you're going to continue helping me with my house?"

"We'll see," I yell over the roar of my engine. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"That was strike two. Three strikes and you're out."

Once I'm well away from Jake's, I think about what we've said to each other, and I instantly feel sick. I have to tell Edward about the baby and what happened between Jake and me and hope he doesn't kill us both.

.

.

.

**EPOV**

"License and registration."

"For what?" I sigh in annoyance. _Christ, look at my car. _I'm sitting in my car on the side of the road, watching the steam escape the hood, a pissed off police officer in my face.

"You're kidding me, right? You almost caused a ten-car pile up back there! License and registration, now!" he spits.

"Fine." I lean over, open the glove box and angrily flip through the papers I have stored inside. "You should go and find a real fucking criminal…stop wasting my time…overzealous prick," I mumble to myself, while rifling for my registration.

"That's it, get out of the car, asshole."

_Looks like he heard that after all._

"Look, I don't have time for this. Here's my license and registration. Just write the damned ticket, I have some place to be."

"Either you get out of the car now, or trust me pretty boy, you're not going to like my methods of getting you out. The choice is yours."

I exhale roughly and shake my head, before deciding to comply with this idiot. _Take that badge off, lose the gun, and I'll kick the shit out of you. _ I step out of the car and get a glimpse of the side of my door. _Fuck!_

"Hands behind your back, gorgeous." He continues to sarcastically insult me.

"This is fucking ridiculous. What am I even being charged with?"

"I haven't quite figured that out yet, but I will on the way to the station. For now, let's just say you're armed with a dangerous weapon…your fucking mouth."

"This is fucking illegal!" I respond as both my hands are bound at my back. "What happened to reading me my rights?" I shout loudly as he jostles me toward the squad car.

"You have the right to shut the fuck up! Now get in the car before I Taser you." He shoves me the backseat.

"What about my car?"

"Well, you fucked that up beyond repair, but you look like you can afford ten more just like it. Sit back and enjoy the ride, sweetheart."

_Fucking dick!_

After fingerprinting and mug shots are taken, I'm thrown into a holding cell awaiting my bail to be paid. The cop has finally told me that I'm being detained for reckless driving. _What a crock of bullshit!_ _I know James is getting a kick out of this._ I can only hope that he doesn't get arrested on the way here, leaving Alice to bail us both out.

"Hey filet mignon boy, if you're hungry we have tea and cheese sandwiches!" he shouts from his desk, and the entire police department erupts in laughter.

"Fuck you." I mumble and glare at them with a sideward glance. _Where the fuck is James?_

I'm sitting with my head resting back against the filthy wall, eyes shut. I have no idea how much time has passed, when I finally hear one of the officers bark my name.

"Cullen!"

I lower my head and look in his direction as he unlocks the door and slides it back for me to exit. "You're free to go."

"It's about fucking time."

.

.

.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this something?" James chuckles.

'Shut up and just drive."

"Where's your car?" he asks, confused.

"Totaled." I climb in the front seat of his car and slam the door in frustration.

"Hey, watch it! Don't fuck my shit up, just because your shit is fucked up. What the hell is your problem anyway?"

"Women."

"Ahh, I see. Bella problems?"

"Bella, Tanya, take your pick."

"Tanya? I thought you solved that problem already? You love Bella, right?" I hear the skepticism in his voice.

"Of course I love Bella! It's just complicated, man. So much has happened," I say to myself. "I don't want to talk about this shit right now…just drive."

"Alright, your choice." He shrugs and jams the key into the ignition. "Where to, little brother?"

"The nearest bar you can get me to."

.

.

.

Four drinks in, and I'm three-sheets-to-the-wind, but it isn't making me forget. _I want to fucking forget! Maybe I should've stayed in lock-up._

"Are you going to enlighten me as to what has you in you're current state of drunkenness? It's the least you can do since I can't join you. God, I'm bored!"

"I have to break up with, Bella." I state coolly as I down the rest of my drink.

"Why? You just got her back."

The music in the bar is way too loud, and it's beginning to make my head pound. I wave him off, not wanting to answer any of the mundane questions he's firing at me.

"Oh, for the love of Christ, please don't tell me that you've decided you want Tanya back?" That statement sobers me up real quick.

"Hell no, I don't want her back! That woman is the bane of my existence, and if I could get away with it, I would wring her scrawny neck until her head pops off."

"Yikes. What did she do now?"

"She found out some information about Bella's dad, and she's using it to force me to marry her."

"You're bullshitting me, right? Isn't Bella's father the police sheriff, or something? What the hell could he have possibly done?"

"He's the Chief of Police."

"Like I said, what the hell could he possibly have done?" He rolls his eyes to the ceiling and repeats his question.

"Drugs," I mumble. His eyebrows shoot up with curiosity. _Damn it! I didn't want to have this conversation._

"Excuse me, did you just say drugs?" I nod and signal the bartender for a refill. "Bella's father is on drugs!"

"No, moron. Bella's father kept some money from a drug raid."

"Kept? You mean stole."

I sigh irritably, realizing that I have to tell someone what's going on, or else I'm going to explode and possibly end up back in jail. "He _kept _the money to put Bella through college. There wasn't any money left after paying all of Bella's mom's medical expenses, and he promised her on her deathbed that he would make sure that Bella lived out her dreams. He saw an opening, and he took it. I can't blame him. Bella deserves the best."

"Her mom died of Cancer, right?"

I nod again, snatching the lemon wedge out of my drink and tossing it on the table. _Fucking bartenders._

"Man, that's rough, but I don't get it. Why are you letting Tanya hold this over your head? Why don't you tell Bella the truth, or get her dad to fess up to his own bullshit. You and Bella shouldn't have to suffer for his mistakes."

"You don't think I know that? I've been in Florida for the past two days, trying to figure out a better way to do this, and I've come up with nothing. I went to see Bella's father… and shit…I can't do that to her, James. She lost her mom. How can I be the reason for her losing her father?"

"Stop with the melodramatic shit, Edward. This is not your fault. Bella's father made a choice, and he should have to answer for it, not Bella, and certainly not you." He emphasizes his point by poking the table hard with his finger.

I shake my head defiantly. _This is my fault, from the moment I walked into her life…it's been my fault._

"None of this would be happening if I hadn't brought her into my fucked up life. She deserves better."

"So, you're going to walk away from her, just like that? God! You're just like her!" He sinks back into the booth, looking at me with what I can only assume is disgust.

"What the fuck are you talking about? And you seem far more upset than you should be over this. It's my problem, not yours."

"You don't get it, do you, Edward? Did you ever think about just telling Bella the truth? You lied to her once before and lost her, remember, you jackass?"

"Well, I'm not going to lie to her. I'm just going to do what's best for her and walk away. Either way, I lose, so it doesn't matter. Whatever, I don't care. I'm just done talking about this. Yo! Bartender! Can I get a refill down here?" _What the fuck does a guy have to do to get drink around here?_

"No way man, you've had enough. I'm taking you home."

"Who are you, mom now, James?"

"Yeah, I'm mom, dad and a little bit of Smidge all rolled into one right now, and since I'm your designated driver, I say you've had enough. Let's go."

"Fine! I'm sick of being here anyway," I snap, reaching into my pocket, I grab some cash and fling it on the table. I stare at the screen of my phone as I see Bella's name flash on and off. I watch as the call eventually goes to voicemail. I tap the screen and notice that there are several missed calls from her. I can't talk to her like this. I'm not completely wasted, but enough to know that I need to wait until I have a clear head to talk to her.

After James drops me off, I slump down on the couch and close my eyes, waiting for my buzz to subside. Only minutes into my brief nap, there's a knock at the door. _Who the hell can this be?_ Before I can drag myself off the couch to answer the door, I hear the beeps of the code being typed into the keypad. The only person who knows that code is Bella.

.

.

.

**BPOV**

"I called you like ten times and left messages. Didn't you get them?" I say immediately I notice his reclining silhouette in the darkness. I turn the dial in the foyer to a dim setting to see him better.

"Um yeah, I got them…after."

"After what? I walk closer to him.

"After I got out of jail." He answers nonchalantly as he rises from the couch and steps in my direction.

"Jail? Why were you in jail, what happened, Edward?"

"Nothing. I wrecked my car and this cop was giving me a hard time about it, that's all." He waves a hand dismissively, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

"You crashed your car? Are you okay?" I hurry over to him, taking his face in my hands and examining him closely.

"I'm fine, Bella." He pulls away from me.

"Edward, what's wrong? You've been acting weird since you got back…distant somehow. Is everything alright?"

"It's just jetlag. Stop worrying, alright. Let's just…let's not talk." He circles his arms around me from behind, grinding against me softly.

"Edward, we have to talk. I have something important to tell you."

"I don't wanna talk. I wanna fuck. I wanna fuck like we did last night, baby." His words are slightly slurred, but deep and sexy as he sucks on the skin just beneath my ear. My eyes roll back in my head. He's doing it again, distracting me with sex. And as much as I want to succumb, I know I have to get control of the situation…control over myself, my body before there is a repeat performance of last night. _Would that be a bad thing? Shit! Yes, no. Oh God! How does he know the exact spot all of the time? Help!_

"You're drunk."

"Barely. I can still do things a drunk can't do."

I feel his hands untying the strings in the waist of my sweats and inching them down, along with my panties. I know I have to stop him, but the words can't seem to find their way out of my mouth. In mere seconds, I'm exposed, my bare ass being pressed into his cloth-covered erection. His hands are caressing the sides of my hips and around to my behind.

"Mmm, I want to see what else fits perfectly inside here. He moans in my ear, lacing it with a devious chuckle. My eyes fly open wide, and I quickly snatch up my underwear and pants, securing the ties once again. He laughs once more as his hands go back to untie them again. "I like when you play hard to get, it's sexy."

"Stop it, Edward. We can't do this right now." I wrench away from him, spinning around so we're facing each other.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't like what we did last night." The tone of his voice sounds lower, more sensual, his eyes smolder as he closes the distance between us. For a split second my thoughts wander back, and I instantly block them out.

"I…I…that's not the point. You can't distract me with sex every time there's something important for us to talk about," I stammer.

He exhales roughly and rolls his eyes in irritation, his demeanor changing drastically from seductiveness to annoyance.

"What the fuck is this shit, Bella? I already told you I'm not in the mood for talking. Can't we just talk tomorrow or something? I doubt I'll be able to have a serious conversation with you at the moment, anyway." He gestures to his significant state of arousal.

"We're not having sex, Edward."

"Ughhh! Why not?" He groans irritably.

"There is something going on with you, and I want to know what it is. I'm not accepting jetlag as the cause. Ever since you got back from where ever the hell you went, there have been no phone calls, one-word answers and the only attention you've paid to me, is sexual. Not to mention that you didn't call me once the entire time you were away, and now you've totaled your car and got arrested. What the hell is going on with you?"

The impassive expression on his face is enough to let me know he isn't going to address any of the questions I just threw at him, so I have to just tell him what I need to get off of my chest. _I guess this isn't going to be easy after all._

"Edward, I need to talk to you about Jake," I force out and watch his annoyance escalate into fury.

"Fuck, not that guy. I don't want to talk about him," he snaps at me, waving his hand, brushing me off, and he turns to walk away. "I can't believe you would rather talk about him than fuck me. What the fuck is he doing here, anyway, Bella?" He spins back around angrily.

_So much for not wanting to talk about him!_

"Edward…"

"What the hell is he doing, huh, stalking you from halfway across the world?"

"Florida is not that far from here, and he's not stalking me."

"You know what I meant, Bella, and don't defend that guy in my house. He wants you, any idiot can see that."

He's irate now. This is not going the way that I anticipated, and I haven't even told him the worst part.

"I'm not defending him. Jake moved here because of a job opportunity, Edward, not for me."

"Job." He scoffs and walks over to the bar and pours a drink. The night is suddenly taking on a tone of déjà vu. The first time we ended up having sex, we were arguing about Jake and he was drinking.

"You mean to tell me, that out of all the jobs in the world, he conveniently found one here in Chicago, where you live? Wake up, Bella."

The things he's saying are beginning to make a little sense. I hadn't thought about how weird it is that Jake's moved here. _But it's ridiculous to think that he did it for me. Isn't it?_

"Edward, I have to tell you something." I sigh heavily, knowing I have to just force this out and then tell him about the baby. "The other day while you were gone, Jake and I…kissed."

His eyes shoot to mine, the glass he's holding pausing just before reaching his lips. I instantly regret telling him when I see the look in his eyes. Edward standing there with drink in hand and the other on his hip, looking all disheveled, sporting five o'clock shadow would've damn near been erotic, if not for that look. _Brace yourself, Bella. _

Instead of going completely ballistic, I'm stunned by his reaction. He's laughing, but there's something off about it.

"Here I am agonizing over you, and you're kissing another guy, fucking perfect!"

_Agonizing? What does he mean?_

"I should've known, I mean it's as plain as that piece of shit you're wearing on your wrist."

My hand instinctively goes to touch the bracelet given to me by Jake, and suddenly, all I want to do is rip the damned thing off and throw it somewhere far.

"Edward, it was a mistake. It just happened."

"Nothing _just _happens, Bella and this is the second time to be exact! Have you ever heard of not making the same mistake twice?"

My heart leaps in my throat at the harshness of his tone and words. Everything he's saying is true. I need to make him understand that I don't want Jake, and that I made sure Jake knows that he is all I want. I cross the room and try to touch him, but he throws up his hands motioning me away.

"Edward it was a mistake. I was just helping him paint his loft and…I fell, and he fell on top of me…" My voice trails off as I hear how desperate my voice is beginning to sound. Tears well in my eyes, but I do everything I can to not let them fall.

"Wait a minute…he was on top of you?"

_Oh shit._

"We fell, it just…"

"Just what? Just happened?" He shouts, making me jump in shock. "It was no mistake that you kissed him, yet again, and God knows what else you did while he was on _top_ of you! Get out of my way. I'm going to kill that son of a bitch! I obviously didn't make my point clear the last time. Well, there will be no _mistaking_ what my point is this time."

_Shit! This is definitely not going the way I expected._

No! Edward, don't do this." In a panic I grab his arm, pulling him back toward me. He catches a glimpse of my wrist and flips out.

"He knew exactly what the fuck he was doing by giving you this!" He spits through clenched teeth, snatching up my arm so we can both see. "How do you think it makes me feel to see the woman I love wearing some branding, a label another guy gave her, _his_ mark, Bella! You haven't even attempted to _look_ at the necklace I gave you!"

My mouth falls open in astonishment. _Is this why he's mad? The necklace? _ And suddenly I'm getting pissed. I knew he'd be angry, but he's overreacting. "Nothing happened with Jake, Edward. He knows I love you. I made that clear when I saw him earlier."

"Wait, you went back to see him again after you kissed him!"

"It wasn't like that. I forgot my laptop over there and went back to get it. I didn't even go inside!"

"This is all starting to make sense now." He mutters to himself, then turns to me. "You like the fact that he's slobbering all over you. You like the attention. What, am I not giving you enough, Bella, is that it?"

"What!" I gasp. "You're being ridiculous!"

"And you're a fucking tease! You're wearing his bracelet, kissing him when I'm not around, what's next? Are you going to spread those legs for him after you leave here, or did you do that while I was gone too?"

I slap him hard across the face and regret it soon after. The last thing I wanted or expected was to be here going through a confrontational situation with him over Jake, but here we are.

"You're an asshole!" I storm towards the front door.

"Yeah, I bet you didn't say that to Jake!" I hear him shout as I slam the door behind me. Part of me wants to go back in there and slap him senseless and scream 'I'm pregnant, congratulations, you bastard!', but we both need some time to cool off. I can only hope that he won't go looking for Jake and make good on his threat.

.

.

.

**_EPOV_**

_Who the hell does she think she is coming in here defending that fucker? _ I'm so far beyond pissed, I can no longer see or think straight. My rage is taking on a new level, and the truth of the matter is, I'm hurt. Hurt that she let him put his hands all over her, and more hurt that I'm going to use this as an easy way out. I contemplate finding that asshole and stomping the shit out of him, but I know it would be pointless, because I'm getting ready to be a bigger asshole than he could ever be.

I reach in my pocket, pull out my phone and dial. Walking across the room, I smash the fifteen thousand dollar vase that's sitting on the piano. Unaffected by the sound of the crash, I wait for the answer at the other end.

"It's me," I breathe roughly into the phone. "Call the fucking minister."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**The song Edward listens to in the car is: Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson: Don't You Wanna Stay**?

**This is a re-edit repost so the next chapters will come like lightening. These chapters are high angst and as before I am ready for the comments. Fire away.**


	26. Ch26 Cluster F of Massive Proportions

**Chapter 26: Chap 26 Cluster F of Massive Proportions**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer has earned that right. Storyline for Wedlocked, all mine._**

**_A/N: Thank you to all of you who have trusted me enough with this drama to stick it out with me. I know it's tough going, but I hope you'll agree at the end that it was worth all the angst._**

**_Now I must warn! If you can't take high angst, you might want to skip this chap, but I think you'll be missing a lot if you do. _**

**_EPOV_**

_Call the fucking minister. _

Those words play in my head continuously as I remember hearing Tanya, squealing in my ear with delight. She was actually fucking happy, thrilled that she would be marrying a man who didn't give a shit about her. _What the fuck is the world coming to?_

My head is throbbing, but not from the amount of alcohol I've consumed, but from the amount of stress this night has brought about. Fighting with Bella was the last thing I wanted to do. I feel like a complete and utter shit. The minute she mentioned that fucker's name, there was no controlling my rage. I know he wants her. He wanted her when we were in Florida…waiting, pining for her, anticipating my fucking up so he could have her. Maybe I'm exaggerating. I sigh heavily. _No, you're not. He wants her._

If he touches her again I'll fucking kill him, simple as that.

_What would be the point?_

He can't have her; over my dead body will he have her.

_How do you think you're going to stop him now?_

I groan at my mental ramblings and stretch out on the couch, throwing my arm over my eyes. Almost as soon as my eyes shut, I feel myself drift into a blissful sleep and dream of her.

.

.

.

The overwhelming feeling of shittiness hasn't dissipated by the next morning. I'm sitting in my office, in a daze. Bella hasn't attempted to speak to me at all. _How can I blame her? The way I treated her was appalling, and that's putting it mildly. _ I gaze out of my office window, rocking back and forth in my chair, still lost it my thoughts. _It's better this way, like ripping off a bandage. No false hopes, no more broken promises. It has to be this way._

That's the one thing I'm sure of, because if I talk to her or look at her once more, all bets are off. I'll never be able to walk away.

There's a soft knock on my door, and for a second my heart springs to life, beating erratically. My eyes shoot to the door instantly, thinking that it's her. And despite my earlier resolve, I find myself hoping that it is indeed Bella.

"It's open," I bellow from my seated position. The door slowly opens and a mane of blonde hair spills through the crack. _Fuck._

"Are you busy?" she asks sweetly, a little too sweetly for my liking.

I sigh heavily in disappointment and start meaninglessly shuffling some paperwork on my desk. "If I said I was busy, would it make a difference?"

"Probably not," she replies hurriedly and plops down in the chair in front of me. "I wanted to talk to you about the wedding."

"What about it?" I don't meet her eyes.

"Well, I was thinking we could get married two weeks from today, on the Saturday of course. That will at least give us time to resend the invitations."

"You don't say," I add sarcastically, slamming the drawers of my desk harshly, causing her to jump. I stand abruptly, walk over to the mini fridge and pull out a bottle of carbonated water. I can almost feel myself getting an ulcer.

"Yes, and I also thought it would give us time for the caterers and florists to arrange things again. I know it will be tough, but money talks," she states matter-of-factly.

"Mmhmm." I take a healthy swig from the bottle, nodding at her ridiculous rant.

"The honeymoon is going to be a task though. I can't seem to get the villa I want in the Cayman's. Maybe you can flash that gorgeous smile of yours and…"

"Oh, for crying out loud! You have got to be the most obtuse woman I have ever met." Her eyes widens as she gapes at me in disbelief.

"Edward, why are you yelling at me? I just want things to be perfect."

_Jesus H. Christ! The woman is beyond irrational!_

**_BPOV_**

"The man is beyond irrational!" I yell, slamming the pan on the stove. I'm still fuming after our fight last night. "I cannot believe the things he said to me!" I slam the refrigerator door for the second time.

"You're going to demolish the house if you don't cool it," Angela says calmly.

"Can you believe him? I can't believe him." I mutter to myself as I grab the eggs from the counter and roughly crack them into the bowl. _Goddamn it, shells!_

"Umm, I won't be eating any of that, just so you know," she says blandly, her face scrunched in disgust.

"Shit!"

"Edward has really rubbed off on you."

"Edward would have said 'fuck,' and do not mention his name." I scowl, waving the whisk in her direction, sending egg flying.

"Okay, give me that whisk because I'm sure you're beating those eggs more than they should be." She gently removes the whisk from my death grip. "I think we'll have Fruity Pebbles for breakfast instead. Go into the living room, take a seat and do some deep, cleansing breathing. I'll bring you a bowl, now shoo!" She shoves me in the direction of the couch.

"Ughhh!" I plop down and rest my head back. I wonder what Edward's doing? Is he as upset as I am? Is he even thinking about me? _He hasn't called at all. Is he that pissed off at me?_

My hand instinctively caresses my stomach. With everything that's going on, I still haven't really processed the fact that I'm carrying a baby inside of me. _A baby! There's a baby growing inside of me. Edward's baby, a tiny little life, a life that we both created._ All the fighting and stress can't be good. I need to take better care of the baby and myself.

"Here we are, Fruity Pebbles for two," Angela sings sweetly, placing a bowl in my lap and sitting next to me.

"For three," I sigh and dig in.

"For three, is there someone joining us?"

"I'm pregnant, Ange."

Choking, spluttering and her spoon clanging in the bowl is the only sound that she makes for some time, until she finally finds her voice.

"What?"

**_EPOV_**

"What? Are you fucking kidding me right now? Honeymoon? You'll be lucky if you get me to kiss the bride, Tanya!" My last frayed nerve is unraveling.

"What are you talking about? Of course you'll kiss the bride, silly," she giggles.

I run my hand through my hair in exasperation and walk over to the window, regretting how this whole scenario is playing out. I may be marrying Tanya, but I'll be damned if she's getting the wedding that should be Bella's. It's a small balm to my sanity, a minor consolation in this whole fucked up mess. It's the only way I can honor her after all of the fucked up things I've done to her, and there are plenty. Tanya may have me bound in wedlock, but Bella will have my heart, my soul. She owns every part of me.

"Back to the wedding, do you know when your sister is getting back from visiting my loser brother? I need her to make some alterations to my dress."

"Hold it. You won't need any of that, "I state blandly, spinning around to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the dress, the flowers, the honeymoon." I tick each item off on my fingers. "We won't need any of it. You, me and a minister, that's all."

"What are you talking about?" She looks even more confused.

"You don't get what I'm saying do you, Tanya, huh? No fucking caterers, no fucking guests and no kissing of the fucking bride!" I seethe and stalk slowly in her direction. Her eyes grow wider with each step I take, each word I spit.

"We are going to do this my way, or not at all. We are _not _having some big, grandstanding event. My way or no way, this is a business deal, nothing more, nothing less."

"What?" She looks aghast.

"Agree to those terms or the deal's off, and I'll take my chances with the Charlie Swan issue."

"You would take that chance and go back to her, knowing that what I know could ruin her life?"

"I would never go back to Bella. She deserves way better than a fucked up guy like me. Besides, I doubt that she'd even have me back after she finds out about us. But this is all irrelevant. You need to choose and choose now."

"So, correct me if I'm wrong. Our marriage will be a business arrangement? Will it be like that in the bedroom too?"

_I can't believe what I'm hearing._

**_BPOV_**

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. You're pregnant? What.. _how_…Bella?"

I knew she was going to freak out. Honestly, I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. This whole thing is snowballing out of control, and I haven't even told the one person who needs to know.

"I didn't mean to blurt it out like that, God, I'm such an idiot."

She gapes at me like I told her I was…

_Pregnant. Yep, it's that shocking, Swan. Oh God! _Tears well up in my eyes, and I sob uncontrollably.

"Oh, Bella. Oh my. It's going to be okay." She wraps her arms around me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I've just been so overwhelmed and, and…."

"How long have you known?"

"Only for about a week," I sniff.

"Does Edward know?" I shake my head sadly and a new round of sobs bubbles to the surface.

"Oh, Bella, why? You have to tell him. Are you afraid of how he will react?"

"No, I think he'll be happy. He wants kids."

"He said he wants them?"

"After the dinner banquet we had a long talk, and Ange, he was so sweet and caring when he talked about wanting a future with me. He told me he wants children. He was emphatic about it."

"Okay, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is he's a humongous, pompous, jealous ass!"

"Bella, you have been cursing Edward all night and day. Did something happen last night?"

"No, it went terribly. It was my fault. I should've told him about the baby before I told him about the kiss with Jake."

"Wait a minute. You kissed, Jake? What the hell, Bella?"

"I know, I know! It was stupid!" I yell, jumping up from the couch and pacing agitatedly. "It was an accident. I fell, and he fell on top of me and kissed me. I didn't want to kiss him, Ange. You have to believe me. I love, Edward." I plead, looking intently at her, hoping she can see that I'm telling the truth. "I can't lose him over this, Angela, I can't."

"You're not going to lose him, Bella." She comes to stand in front of me, halting what I'm sure is another round of crying.

"But we had a huge fight, and he said some horrible things, and I said some horrible things, then I hit him. What am I going to do?"

**_EPOV_**

"What am I going to do? Marry a man and be trapped in a loveless, sexless marriage? Edward Cullen you have flipped your wig! That's no kind of marriage!"

"Maybe it's _no kind of marriage_," I quote, "but it's the only one you're going to get. Take it or leave it." I take my seat behind my desk.

"This is crazy! You can't do this!"

"Contrary to what you may believe, I can do whatever the fuck I want. And don't you think for a second that you are forcing me to do this, Tanya. This is about, Bella. It's the only way I can effectively convince her that it's over between us, short of dropping off the face of the planet. Now, you get your ass out of my office and get that minister here by this afternoon or you're going to be shit out of luck." I raise my eyebrows at her to hit my point home. I watch dispassionately as she pouts and stamps her foot like the petulant, spoiled snob she is. She finally, angrily leaves my office.

"Fuck!" I snap, violently slapping all of the contents on my desk onto the floor.

_Why hasn't she called me? Can she sense this clusterfuck of massive proportions?_

I can't call her, although everything inside of me is screaming at me to do so. I'm not even sure if she made it home safely. _ Stupid, stupid stupid! _ I chastise myself. I need to see her or hear her voice to make sure she's okay, and then I'll stay away. I check my watch and realize she'll be getting ready to leave for work in the next hour or so. I know her schedule like the back of my hand and decide that I'll head out at lunchtime to see her…discreetly.

.

.

.

_Eleven forty five. No Bella._

_Where the hell is she?_ I'm sitting across the street, waiting for her to show up. I'm tucked back, sitting in my car and wearing my sunglasses. She won't notice me as easily as I'm driving a different car. Finally, I see her beautiful mahogany waves blowing in the wind as she walks up the street. _Why is she walking? Where's her truck?_

My heart beats rapidly as I watch her enter the store, unaware of my presence. _God, I feel like such a creepy stalker._

When she disappears from my sight, I get antsy with the want to follow her, but I can't. She's alright. I can see that with my own to eyes. _Drive away. _

_Always only you, Brown Eyes. _ I inhale deeply and drive, obeying my conscience.

.

.

.

"Reverend Ephraim will be here at three-thirty," she says anxiously. "Aren't you going to change into something a little more appropriate?"

"No." I stare out of the window, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Edward, can you at lea.."

"I said, _no_!" I check my watch, praying for time to pass at lightening speed, but it seems to drag at a snails pace. _Torture, that's right. What else have you got for me? Pile it on._ I look up at the heavens.

Blaming God is sure to solidify my place in hell. This is no one's fault, but my own. I can't believe that in less than an hour I'll be chained to Tanya and lose the love of my life forever.

.

.

.

**_BPOV_**

I don't know why I went to work. It was obvious to everyone, including customers that I was out it all day. Edward still hasn't called me, and I'm beginning to worry. I know that he was angry last night, and I know first hand how that anger can spiral out of control. I hope that he hasn't kept his word and gone looking for Jake.

About three hours into my shift, Mr. Yorkie senses that I'm not myself and gives me the rest of the day off. _Great Bella, how are you going to support a baby if you lose hours?_

I need to swallow my pride and talk to Edward. He can rant and rave about Jake all he wants, but I'm telling him about this baby tonight. I walked to and from work today, having decided that I need the fresh air and time to think.

Once I arrive home, I fill Sadie's water and food bowls then take a shower. I'm so exhausted when I finally towel off, that taking a nap seems like the only sensible thing to do. _Little one, you're draining me. _I rub my nonexistent bump affectionately.

I pull on some sweat pants and a tank and climb under the covers. I have no trouble falling asleep.

I feel so much better, rested, strong enough to deal with Edward and strong enough to wring his neck if I have to. I don't want to fight with him anymore. I just want to get this out and move on. I have so many decisions I have to make…with or without him.

I pull up inside the already open gate and notice that a white Range Rover is parked on the walkway. Edward has a lot of cars, but I'm not familiar with this one. I'm glad the gate is already open. I don't feel like talking to him over the speaker, I just want to go in, tell him, and deal with whatever the outcome is going to be.

.

.

.

**_EPOV_**

Three-thirty comes and goes. Reverend Ephraim is present, Tanya is giddy, and I'm getting ready to jump the fuck out of my skin.

"I see you that haven't completed the marriage counseling sessions yet? Normally, I wouldn't perform a ceremony unless couples participate in the sessions.

"How much?" I huff irritably.

"Pardon me?"

_"How much?"_ I practically yell, becoming agitated.

"Mr. Cullen, I understand that you're a wealthy man and are used to getting what you want, but I am a man of the cloth, illegal propositions and bribes are frowned upon in my profession.

"Bullshit," I mumble, "you're just as greedy as the rest of the pack of hungry wolves salivating over my money."

"Edward!" Tanya gasps in horror.

"What was that, Mr. Cullen?"

"Nothing."

"Although, there is some funding the church could use towards the new annex. For the children of course," he adds belatedly.

_Yeah that's what I thought, you fucking slime-ball. Hell for sure, Cullen._

I storm over to the end table and yank it open, pulling out my checkbook and pen. I scribble my signature on it and leave the amount blank. _It's for the kids, right? _ Roughly tearing the check out of the book, I storm back into the dining room and shove the check in his face.

"Don't go crazy, Rev," I snark, motioning to the blank space on the check.

"You're very generous, Mr. Cullen." He tucks the check inside his jacket.

"Let's get on with it." I just want to get this over with.

"I still can't do anything without a witness, Mr. Cullen."

"Of course you can't," I snap.

"The witness should be here any moment, Reverend."

"Who's witnessing this?" I whisper angrily as I lean over in her direction.

"Esme."

"Perfect." I shake my head, knowing I should've known better. On cue, there's buzz at the door and my mother enters looking directly at me. She searches my eyes for something, I'm not sure what.

"Don't say one word, just do what you came here to do and leave, Mother."

We all take our rightful places as Reverend Ephraim starts. "Dearly beloved…"

"No!" All eyes swing to me, wide with confusion; two pairs are outraged as well as confused. "I don't want any of that 'dearly beloved' crap." I wave my hand dismissively. "Can we just get to the most important part, please?"

The minister's eyes shift between Tanya and me, waiting for some sort of reassurance from her and a change of heart from me. He gets no response. He clears his throat and continues. "Do you Edward Masen Cullen take…"

.

.

.

It's quick. It's over, and a part of me feels like it died the moment the words left my mouth. _'I do.'_ My mother left without a single word to me. She knew it was best. Tanya…who knows, maybe she's somewhere trying to arrange a honeymoon. She has absolutely no idea just how serious I am. I sink to the sofa; feeling like my heart has just been ripped out of my chest. I can't believe I've married her.

I catch a glimpse of something white tucked in-between the cushions and reach to pull it out. It's one of Bella's camisoles from a night that we spent making love on this very sofa. _Christ! My wife is somewhere in the house and things belonging to the woman I love are still turning up everywhere. What a fucking mess._

I sit and obsess, wallow and berate myself. I'll never get to touch her again. I'll never see that blush again. _Never._

I take out my phone and switch to my photo album. There's a picture I took of her in Paris. She was sleeping, completely naked, but wrapped so beautifully in ivory satin sheets. Her hair wild and lips parted.

If anything could make this picture more perfect it would be to see her eyes. As I ghost my fingers over the line of her thigh on the screen, I hear the code being tapped in on the house keypad. I jump to my feet; staring at the door in panic as I see Bella enter and Tanya descend the stairs. _Fuck, no!_

This was going to end disastrously.

"Bella?"

"What the hell are you doing in our house?" Tanya starts in as soon as she sees Bella's. I feel like grabbing her and locking her in the closet. Why does this have to be happening? This is all wrong, I should've told her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Bella questions her but looks at me.

"Bella, let's just go somewhere and talk alone, okay," my voice croaks. I have to get her out of the line of fire. I can't let Tanya unleash any of this bullshit on her. I have to fix this and fast. I walk over to Bella and gently grab her wrist, pulling her with me to the door.

"Get away from my fucking husband!"

_Fuck!_

My head drops as Bella immediately stops walking.

"What?" She looks at Tanya then me in bewilderment.

"You heard me, we're married." She wiggles her fingers, flashing the wedding band. "You won't be going anywhere with _my _husband."

"You, shut the fuck up!" I roar, pointing a finger at her. "Bella, come with me…please?" I plead softly.

Her eyes travel to my hand holding hers. Our fingers are laced, I hadn't even realized. She squeezes my hand affectionately and slowly flips it over, and her eyes settle on the wedding band. Her head jerks up, mouth wide. An attack of alarm washes over me as I watch realization dawn on her face.

"Bella, please…let's just go…."

She gasps, her chest heaving and tears well up in her eyes.

"This is so disrespectful to me, Edward. This is…"

"Shut up!" I shout even louder, but keep staring into the face that's breaking me down, bit by bit, without a single word. Her eyes say it all.

"Baby," my voice resembles a cross between a whimper and desperate plea.

"Why?" she whispers and that one word releases the last emotion I'm holding on to. Fear.

I knew that I loved her, but in this moment, it becomes clear to me just how much. I'm scared to death of losing her. I'm going to tell her everything. I have to.

"Bella, please let's just go," I plead. "We can go anywhere you want, but let's just get out of here." But her feet won't move. She's in shock.

"Was it because of J–Jake?" Her voice trembles almost as badly as her body. She thinks this is her fault. _Fix this!_

"Baby no, please, you don't understand, but I'll tell you everything, just say you'll come with me?"

"No," she gasps. She loosens her hand from mine.

"You married her and we…." Her voice catches in her throat. "We're having… No!" She turns to run.

"Bella!" I lunge for her but she's already out of the door. Tanya jumps in my path so I can't follow her.

"We're _married_!"

"Get out of my way, _now!_" She jumps at my tone and moves instinctively. I wrench the door open looking for her and see her speeding off. _Shit!_

I run back inside, searching frantically for the keys to my car, but I can't locate them. I'm freaking out. _Oh God if anything happens to her I will never…_

"Give me the keys to your Range," I order, stalking in her direction.

"What? No! You're not going after her!"

"Give me the fucking keys, Tanya!"

"I'll tell her everything, Edward, I mean it!"

"Not if I tell her first." I see her eyes dart to the piano; her keys, and I shoot across the room to retrieve them.

"Edward Masen Cullen, it's our wedding day!" She yells as I jam the key in the ignition and tear out onto the road. I have no idea where Bella's gone, but I have to find her.

It's around six and getting dark. The night is warm and sticky with humidity.

I drive to her apartment but don't see her truck and the place is in darkness, so I drive to her job. The waitress tells me that she hasn't been there since about two. I don't know why I thought she'd be there, but I had to try. In desperation, I try one last place.

There's a park I know she likes to hang out at when she walks Sadie. I've searched every part of this goddamned place. But she isn't here. _Where the hell is she?_

I lean my head on the steering wheel to try and think clearly. "Come on, Brown Eyes, where are you?"

I make a U-turn and drive in the opposite direction as a thought comes to me. _Check the library._

"She's not at the fucking library," I scoff aloud. Why would she go there? I just wrecked her. Jesus, I'm so stupid. I knew this would happen. What other reaction would she have? I should just have told her the truth. Fuck! Where is she?" I slam my fist repeatedly against the steering wheel.

I check my phone to see if there are any missed calls. There are none. _Of course she's not going to call, moron._

I toss the phone on the passenger seat and decide to go back to her place and wait. And wait I do, but nothing. I wait for an hour, but she doesn't show up.

Another hour passes and I'm starting to get worried. It's getting foggy out and my mind starts going to all sorts of weird places. _What if she had an accident? Fuck._

I grab my phone from the seat and tap auto dial for Bella. "Come on, Bella, answer your damned phone!" It goes straight to voicemail. "Motherfuck!" I grip my hair violently with both hands.

I hit redial and wait for the voicemail to pick up so I can leave her a message.

"Bella, baby I'm so sorry, please you don't have to talk to me. Just call and let me know that you're okay. Fuck, send me a text or something! I've been sitting in front of your apartment for two hours, and I'm not leaving until I know you're alright…Bella I know what you must think… Shit! Baby, please just call me." I tap the screen to send the voicemail and pray that she returns my call.

Suddenly, I have a feeling, one of those 'bad taste in your mouth fucked up' feelings. I place another call.

"Hello?"

"Em?"

"What?"

"I need a favor."

"No shit. What is it now?"

"You get your bike serviced at that automotive place in the city, right?

"Yeah, why?"

"Who fixes it?"

"Some new guy, Jacob…Jake, he took over for another guy. What's with all the questions, you looking to purchase a bike?"

"Can you find out where he lives?"

"Why?"

"Fuck! Em, can you find out for me or not? It's important."

"The owner of the company and I used to shoot pool at his spot, he told me he's renting his loft to that guy until he finds a place of his own."

"Do you have the address, Em?"

"Dude, you sound like you're about to pound someone."

"Em!"

"Yeah, hold on. I swear you're bi-fucking polar, man."

I scribble down the address and pull away from Bella's. She has to be with him. There's no doubt in my mind.

.

.

.

I pull up to the front of his loft and close my eyes tightly, taking a couple of deep breaths. I have to calm myself before I knock on that door to face them. One look at him and I know I'll smash his stupid face in, and Bella will hate even me more.

Once I feel confident enough to confront them without losing my shit, I walk up to the front door, but I'm sidetracked by what I see through the window.

"Bella?" I whisper as I approach the window. She's here. I recognize her hair. The fog is dense and obscures the view, but I see her…. her long brown waves spilling down her bare back…the two perfect dimples just above her supple backside. I know her body. It's her.

Her legs are straddling his. I can hear their muffled grunts and moans.

Her head is thrown back in pleasure, and I see _him._ He leans forward, ravaging her neck, her breasts, as she rises up and down on him.

His hands are everywhere…buried in her hair…gripping her ass, pulling, pushing and grinding her hips down hard. And she likes it. She looks likes she's _loving_ it. _No!_

The pain in my chest is excruciating. _Is this what heartache feels like?_

I stumble back from the window, not understanding what I'm seeing. Bella's fucking another guy. My Brown Eyes? _Is this my punishment for marrying, Tanya? I knew that she'd move on someday, but like this? Did I hurt her that badly?_

I can't breathe. I damned sure don't have a rational thought in my brain right now, because for a moment, I contemplate torching the place with them inside of it. I have to get far away from here before I completely lose it.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	27. Chapter 27, The Aftermath

**Chapter 27: Chapter 27 The Aftermath**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Nothing's changed. Stephanie still owns everything Twilight related. The storyline for Wedlocked is mine. No copyright infringement intended._**

**EPOV**

I've been parked in front of my door for what has to be close on three hours. I've sat in the same spot, not moving, head reeling, in other words, completely fucked up.

Where the fuck am I going to go? I don't want to go inside and face my 'wife.' _God, my wife! What the fuck did I do?_

Bella is in the arms of another man, or better yet, another man is inside of Bella, and I caused it. I've lost her; hell, I've thrown her away. I didn't think that things would get this bad.

I finally climb out of the jeep and make my way inside. I look at the bar and contemplate getting drunk, but I know it won't help. The same pain will still be here once the alcohol wears off, and it won't bring her back. And it damned sure won't wash away the images of her impaled on another man's dick.

This is it. As fucked up and hurt as I feel, I know it's the start of me moving on with my life, a life without her. This is what I've chosen, and now I have to deal with it, better yet, suffer it.

Tanya hasn't shown her face yet, so I assume she's left. I can't blame her. Despite what she's done and even if she deserved it, I've treated her like complete shit. And Bella, God, Bella, I simply don't deserve her. I knew that the moment I asked her out. Now I've ruined her. And as badly as I want to kill that guy, I know it isn't his fault either. I pretty much handed her over to him, served up on a platter. This is all on me.

I walk over to the fireplace and carefully pick up one of the pokers. I can feel the rage building in me, and I can no longer contain it.

I unbutton my shirt and toss it on the floor and make my way to the bar. I grab the bottle of whiskey.

I crack open the top and hold it up to examine it closely. I walk over to the piano, dragging the poker behind me. I take a long swig, before placing it on top of the baby Grande.

"Twenty-five hundred dollars." I size up the bottle and swing the poker with all my strength, sending glass and alcohol flying around the room. But that isn't enough, I still feel the rage_._

I stalk over to the bar and swing again and again, smashing every bottle. The curio is next, then all the vases and figurines around the house. When I finally run out of things to destroy, and I feel utterly exhausted, I hurl the poker through the front bay window, watching the glass shatter to bits. The impact sets the alarm off immediately.

"Do you feel better now?" she asks nonchalantly from the bottom of the stairs.

"Leave me alone, Tanya, else you're going through that window next."

"You know, the police are going to be here in minutes if you don't shut off that alarm."

"I don't give a fuck." I slouch down on the sofa and bury my head in my hands.

"What's the code, Edward?

I look up at her briefly then go back to the position I was in.

"Brown Eyes." I chuckle darkly and look up again to gauge her reaction. She turns to glare at me, and then she punches in the code, shutting off the alarm.

She walks and comes to a stop in front of me. I peek out from under my arm that's thrown across my face, removing it when I notice what she's wearing, or better yet, not wearing.

I sigh and sit up, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like? I told you a long time ago, that after we're married we could make love as much as you wanted. And I've wanted you for so long now." She reaches out and strokes my hair. I smirk slightly, not because I want her, but because I can't believe the nerve of the woman. She's out of her blonde, warped mind if she thinks that I'm taking her to bed, or anywhere in the house for that matter.

"There's that sexy smirk I love," she practically purrs as she strokes my bottom lip with her thumb.

I sigh more loudly this time and get up from the couch, brushing past her. I instantly regret smashing all of my liquor. This is going to be a long night.

I head into the kitchen and grab a beer from the fridge, returning to where she's still standing, all legs and heels. _Jesus Christ._

"It will never happen, Tanya," I tell her calmly and take a seat on the bottom step.

"We're married, Edward. And_ she's_ out of the picture now. We can be together the way we've always wanted to be." She kneels in-between my legs.

"We are married in name only, that's where it ends. Please get up."

"Edward, remember that night in my office? You wanted me so much that night, remember the countless number of other occasions that we've wanted each other, now we can have that," she pleads softly.

She's serious. She honestly believes that we can have a real marriage. But what she doesn't seem to get is that I no longer want her in that way, and no matter how many times the images of Bella fucking another guy replays over and over in my head, they won't make me give in to Tanya. I just can't do it.

"That was a long time ago, Tanya, ancient history." I take another pull on the beer bottle.

"Not so ancient, maybe we just need to get out of this house." She gets back up and walks into the dining area. "I mean you've wrecked the place anyway, and there are way too many unpleasant memories. I don't think I can live in this house after _she's _been in here. I definitely won't be sleeping in the same bed you were banging her on," she scoffs and plops down on the piano bench.

"Then I guess you'll be moving out on your own, because I have no intention of moving anywhere, and just so you know, I've _banged_ her in every square inch of this place, on every surface, including that piano bench you're sitting on, so…." I stand, kick through the broken glass and walk across the room, assessing the damage.

"Edward, why can't we be together? She grabs my arm as I pass by her.

"Because I love _her, _Tanya. I'm not saying that to hurt you. It's just a fact."

"But she's gone now." She trails her hand up my chest, brushing over the pendant around my neck. "What's this? She frowns. "I don't remember you being one to wear jewelry, especially something so…"

"Don't touch it! Don't you _ever _touch it!" I grasp her wrist and shake her in the process.

I'm losing it, and I know I have to get away from her. I need to be alone to sort out my feelings, and I can't do that with Tanya in my face, half naked and just…here in this house.

"Ouch, Edward! You're hurting me!"

I stare into her eyes for a moment, watching her grimace, before I release her.

"I'm sorry, just…don't touch me." I turn away from her and slowly ascend the stairs. "The guest room is available."

"Guestroom? Wha…Well, what the hell are you going to do about the window?"

"Nothing, but if I'm lucky, someone will climb through it, kidnap me and take me away from this God forsaken nightmare. Goodnight, Tanya."

I stand in the doorway of my bedroom, staring at it like it's a place I no longer recognize. She isn't here, and it finally dawns on me that I've truly lost her. But it doesn't stop the hallucinations of her sleeping, naked body and wild beautiful hair sprawled out on the bed.

"God, Brown Eyes. How am I ever going to exist without you?" I whisper into the night as I sink down onto the bed and immerse myself in the intoxicating scent that will torture me for the rest of my life.

**_ ~~~W~~~_**

**_BPOV_**

**_Two days later…._**

"Dad, it's me. My flight just landed, can you pick me up?"

"Your flight? You're here? Bella, honey, what's wrong? You don't sound good."

"Can you come get me, p-please?" I cut him off, my voice breaking.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes, sweetheart," he responds immediately, his voice laced with concern.

He can tell that something's wrong, and I know I won't be able to lie to him. Once I tell him about the baby, he's sure to fly to Chicago to kill him. At this point, I'd help him.

**_Flashback, two day earlier…_**

As soon as I leave Edward's, I realize that I won't be able to think straight unless I get far away to sort everything out.

My heart has been broken yet again by this man, and I let it happen. I feel humiliated and worse still, I feel lost. Had what happened with Jake hurt him so badly that he'd betray me in the most hurtful way?

I take out my phone to text Angela to tell her not to worry about me and that I'd be home soon. My voicemail alert is blinking; it's been blinking for a while now. The messages are from Edward. I stuff the phone back into my pocket, not giving what he could possibly have to say to me another thought.

My thoughts keep drifting back to the way _her_ voice spat the words _'my husband', _and the look on his face as she said it. He didn't once look at her, his eyes remained fixed on mine, he looked at me with such love in his eyes. But he stood there, despite that, as that bitch he now calls wife, made me look like a total fool.

I feel like I'm reliving the same stages of grief that I went through when I lost my mum. The debilitating shock and then instant denial when I heard her say '_we're married.'_

It's like a bad joke…worse than '_he's my fiancé'. _Marriage means forever. He married her after everything we've been through, and why, because of a kiss from Jake?

This is the point where my shock and denial develops into pain and guilt… pain because it feels as if I've been kicked in the chest repeatedly, guilt because if it wasn't for that kiss, he'd still be mine, not hers.

I find myself sitting on the side of the road, I'm unable to drive any longer; my body is shaking so much. _Their house, _the same house he made love to me in, the same house that he cooked for me in, spoiled me in, the same house he asked me to live with him in, the very house that I felt couldn't wait to raise our baby in.

My gut cramps and heaves as I throw up violently. This time I can't blame it on the pregnancy. I'm physically ill by what I'd just witnessed, at the thought of what it means for my future.

It's really late at night and I'm still sitting in my truck, my guilt has turned into anger, rage more like it. _Why didn't he just tell me it was over or that he couldn't handle the Jake situation? He took the easy fucking way out, that fucking coward! How could he humiliate me like that?_

I don't understand. I know he loves me, I know it. He's fought so hard to show me how much. _What was the fucking point of it all? To set me up for this kind of heartache? Is he really this heartless? Oh God, and the baby! What am I going to do about the baby?_

I feel like I'm going insane. The full-blown conversation I'm having with myself is proof of that.

"Please God, let this be a nightmare that I'm going to wake up from soon, please." I sob and beg silently.

Eventually, I have to accept that this was not going to happen, and I make my way home and spend the next two days functioning on autopilot. I go through my new daily routine, shower, try to eat, feed Sadie, try to sleep, skip work and school and hide from everyone. I feel like a clock wound too tightly, as I try to keep my hurt, anger and pain from taking over completely. Finally, I cannot take it any longer and decide that I have to get out of Chicago.

**_End of flashback._**

"Bella, honey, you're worrying me. What the hell is going on? I mean don't get me wrong, I love having you here, but it's a little weird you being here, when I know you have school right now."

"I took a few days off. I won't miss anything."

He's been questioning me over and over since he picked me up from the airport. I don't mention the real reason for being here, and I know that at some point that I'll have to give him some answers. But I just can't face that right now.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I just want to go home, I mean to your house…you know what I mean," I ramble miserably.

He nods, and we don't exchange another word for the remainder of the ride. I exit the car and grab my overnight bag from the backseat as soon as the car stops at home. I walk into the house ahead of him.

He follows me just moments later, and I can tell that he wants to say something, he's thinking and wants to choose his words carefully, I know him so well.

"This is about Edward, isn't it?"

My head snaps up at the mention of his name, there is no hiding anything any longer. "Yes." I whisper, my bottom lip begins to tremble.

"Come here, kid." He holds out his arms, and I fling myself into him and beak down. "It's okay, everything is going to be alright," he soothes me gently, and I let my feelings spill over for the first time since finding out about Edward's marriage to Tanya.

"I love him, Dad, I love him so much," I whisper into his tear-drenched shirt.

"I know, baby girl."

I don't know how long we stand there, with me sobbing, and him consoling me, but being back home with him, in this house, seems to make me feel better.

"You want to talk about it?" I shake my head and sniffle before pulling away from him.

"I want to go and see Mom."

He hasn't said a word. _She_ is a sensitive subject for him. He simply nods, and we're on our way.

We're minutes away from her gravesite when he decides to break the silence.

"Bella, I haven't been to see her in a while. I don't know if…"

"It's okay. I know, Dad. I'm guilty of the same thing." I reassure him. He nods again and pulls into a space.

We're silent as we make our way to her grave. I can tell that he's taking in all of the beautiful plaques that we pass. I am as well. I feel so bad that she doesn't have a proper memorial plaque as evidence of how much she's loved and missed, of what she meant to me… to both of us.

I remember where she's buried. She's beside another Swan…a Maureen. As a little girl, I often wondered if she was a relative.

As soon as we reach the plot, I notice the beautiful marble plaque, and the dedication to her… from me. The flowers that I hold, falls to my feet.

"Dad!"

"What is it, honey?" He asks in concern as he finally catches up with me.

"You did this." I whisper as tears spill overs.

"Did what? I step aside and watch as his eyes widen. It's clear that this is as much of a surprise to him as it is to me, and now I'm confused.

"You didn't know about this?"

"No. I told you, I haven't been here, but…." His voice trails off as he steps closer to read the plaque. I read out loud as he kneels down and gingerly touches the flowers already on her grave. _Calla lilies._

"Whoever's done this has been making sure it's kept up." He turns to look at me. "The flowers are fresh." He touches the plaque gently as if he'll destroy it if he applies too much pressure.

"The guy was very specific that there were to be fresh calla lilies included in the flowers at all times," a southern voice drawls from behind us. "I'm the caretaker, and I made sure the flowers were placed this morning."

"What guy?" Charlie sounds a little offended.

"Some young guy, Sir. He was here about a week ago, tall, about six feet or so, odd colored hair. Looked rather wealthy to me, but I can't be sure. He just gave me strict instructions to make sure the site had fresh calla lilies. He paid me five hundred bucks extra."

"Edward, "I whisper. "He did this."

My dad's eyes dart to mine as realization dawns on his face.

"Dad, can I have a few moments alone, please."

"Sure, I'll just be over here," he gestures to the caretaker. I'm sure he has more questions about Edward, him being a cop and all.

I turn my attention back to my mom's grave and kneel.

"In loving memory of Renee M. Swan, devoted wife and loving mother." I read aloud. "Until the day we'll see you again. We love you. Rest in peace, Mom." I shake my head in disbelief, and my tears flow freely.

"Oh Mom," I sigh, "Mommy, I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry I haven't…" I sigh again, shaking my head. "I'm a horrible daughter, but I hope I can be a better mother. Mommy, I'm pregnant, but you already know that." I laugh lightly, remembering her telling me she that she'd always be watching over everything I do.

"I'm so scared, Mom. I've made a mess of everything, and I just wish you were here. Calla lilies are your favorite. He remembered… he is a charmer isn't he, Mom?"

I think about Edward and the overwhelmingly kind thing he's done. The fact that he remembered touches my heart, even after everything that's happened in the last forty-eight hours. _Damn him!_

"I see you've met him," I say, smiling down at her plaque. "His name is Edward…. and he's… he's the father of your unborn grandchild." I struggle to continue. "And I'm irrevocably in love with him, Mom. May God help me."

.

.

.

We're driving…. in silence once again. It seems a bit weird that we're always like this before and after going to visit her_._ The silence just seems fitting.

"Bella, honey, we have to talk."

He glances over at me when I don't respond and sighs in exasperation.

"Bella, you were quiet the entire drive over here, but now the silence is scaring the shit out of me."

"I'm fine, Dad."

"You're not fine. You haven't said one word about what Edward did at the cemetery."

"I don't want to talk about, Edward." My tone is clipped.

"It was a very generous and kind thing to do," he pauses and sighs again, now very clearly frustrated. "Bella?"

"It's funny you know," I stare out of the side window, watching the scenery pass, "he must've done that right before he decided to come home and rip my life to shreds."

"Bella what…"

"You think Edward is so perfect, Dad," I interrupt him rudely, shaking my head. "Do you want to know what 'Perfect Edward' did?" I wait for him to object, but he doesn't. "While he was here, making this last grand gesture, he was also secretly planning to dump me." My voice escalates.

"Bella, sweetheart, calm down …"

"But _not_before knocking me up!" I spit the words out. I watch as his eyes widen and his jaw clench. If he weren't driving he would have turned to face me, gaping in horror.

"What? What did you just say? You're pregnant?"

The car comes to a stop. I hadn't even realized how close to home we were. I exit hurriedly to create some space between us. "Not now, Dad."

"But you're pregnant…Bella?"

"Dad, don't." I open the door, and he follows quickly, right on my heels.

"But, sweetheart?"

"I'm tired. I just want to lie down for a while and not think about Edward Cullen, if that's even possible," I huff and plop down on the couch. "Later, Dad, I promise." I stare at him pointedly so that he gets the message.

"Okay," he says, sighing in defeat. "Can I do anything, get you anything?"

I shake my head. I can see the concern and worry in his eyes. He's the strongest man I know, but right now, he just looks helpless and lost. _Join the club, Dad._

"I'm just going to crash right here on the sofa for a little while." I kick off my sneakers and curl up. My eyes close within seconds.

I hear him approach and feel the soft warmth of the afghan being draped over me, just the way Mom used to do when I was small.

"You used to always sleep here when you were younger, when you were angry at me or your mother," he chuckles. "She always said to leave you and that you would be fine after you'd slept. She'd cover you with this, said it would calm you down."

"I know. But I'm not six anymore, Dad." I open my eyes briefly and watch as he makes that sure I'm fully covered.

"But you'll always be our baby girl."

.

.

.

I stretch and yawn, I should feel fully rested, but I still felt tired. I know fatigue is a major part of the pregnancy, but it's my least favorite thing about being in this condition. _I take that back, nausea and vomiting kicks ass._

"You're finally awake. I made you some chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese," he announces proudly as he carries a tray into the living room and sets it on my lap.

"You cooked?"

"Don't joke about it. I'm pretty sure the soup is not warm enough, and the sandwich is burned.

"I'm sure it's fine." I smile at him in reassurance. "Thanks, Dad."

"You haven't eaten since you've been here. You probably should be eating a lot more, with the…baby and all," he clears his throat, "if you've decided on keeping it.

My eyes widen, and I instantly feel ill. I've never even contemplated not having the baby. The simple truth is, that I'm falling in love with this baby more and more every day, even though I'll be raising it alone. I already love this child. My hand protectively caresses my stomach as I think about what my dad just said. _I'm keeping him._

"I'm keeping the baby, Dad, end of discussion."

"I wasn't suggesting that you shouldn't, honey." He smiles sheepishly. "Grand pop, huh?" He groans

"I'm sorry." _Is he ashamed, disappointed?_

"I prefer Pop-Pop," he states with certainty as he grabs the other half of my sandwich and grimaces when he bites into it.

"What? It's good." I lie.

"Liar."

"It is!" I laugh. "You've got to have Edward make one for you, he's perfect…at…it." The words are out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them. And suddenly I'm no longer hungry.

"I take it you haven't told him about the baby?"

"No, and I'm not going to." I slide my foot from under my bottom and stand abruptly. I get something to drink from the kitchen. When I return, his head is bowed as he stares at the floor.

"Dad, I know you like Edward…"

"This isn't about whether I like him or not, Bella. You're _my_ daughter, and I'm worried about _you_. And now that you're carrying my grandchild, I'm worried about _him_ or _her_. That baby needs its father, Bella, and I know Edward is crazy about you, and he would be nuts about that kid."

"He's crazy and nuts, I agree with you on that," I scoff.

"Bella, you have to tell him. He loves you."

"I thought so too, and believe me, when I showed up at his place I had every intention of telling him. His wife put an end to that," I add sarcastically.

"His wife?" he barks.

"Oh yeah, Edward's married," I say matter-of-factly. "I assume that's why he performed that one last good deed by giving mom the memorial. I guess it was a way for him to ease his guilty conscience."

"Son of a bitch," he mutters, dragging his hand roughly through his hair. "I can't believe he did this. Damn it, Edward," he mumbles to himself.

"Yeah, that goes for both of us."

"This wasn't supposed to happen like this." He's still muttering to himself. "Shit! He wasn't supposed to hurt you like this! He told me you'd be better off!" he slams his fist against the wall. "And now you're pregnant with his kid!" I jump when his fist makes contact again.

My eyebrows knit together in confusion as I listen to him rant.

"Dad, what do you mean, _he told you_? When did you talk to Edward?"

His head drops into his hands and mumbles something I can't understand.

"Bella, come sit with me. I have something I need to tell you."

I let him lead me over to the sofa and watch as my father agonizingly explains what he did years ago.

He tells me how he filed for bankruptcy after my mom died. He explains how desperate he was, not knowing if he could grant _her_ the only thing she asked for.

My father breaks down in front of me, and it tears my heart out. He doesn't cry. He never shows that side of himself, not even when my mom died. He's always holding it together for me. He's my rock.

We hold each other, crying and saying sorry, over and over. It isn't until he tells me about Edward's part in the whole thing that I become livid.

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me you knew that he was going to do this, and you didn't tell me?" I shriek, jumping to my feet.

"Bella, I didn't know that he was going to do something _this _stupid. He said…"

"I don't give a damn what he said, you're my father!" I point a finger at him.

"I thought I was protecting you, Bella, and so did Edward," he says dejectedly.

"No, you two were sitting around playing God with my life, ruining it."

"Bella, please…"

"No, Dad, this could all have been avoided if you both had told me the truth! Now the man I love, the father of my baby is married to the mother of all skanks, and you're both to blame! Oh God," I grab a hold of my stomach as I feel a strong wrench.

"Bella, honey, are you alright?" He rushes over to my side.

"I'm fine! Ow! Ouch! Ah!" I wince as the pain becomes more intense. "Something's wrong...Dad, something's wrong! My stomach hurts."

"I'm calling the rescue squad."

"No! Please, please can you just take me to the hospital?"

"Okay, you're going to be alright, honey. Can you walk?"

"Ah! I think so. Dad it's the baby, I'm scared." My voice trembles. _I'm losing the baby!_

"You and the little critter are going to be fine. Hold on to me."

"Dad…" I pant heavily and wrap my arm around his neck as he ushers me to the car.

"You're going to be fine." He repeats assertively, while staring me directly in the eye.

"Okay." I whisper and caress my belly. _We're going to be fine, I say over and over, like a prayer._

_._

_._

_._

When we arrive at Mercer General, the pains are not as bad, but the amount of vomit I release in the car is. I feel like crap, and I'm scared shitless. I'm so afraid that I'll lose the baby.

My dad insists on me getting into a wheelchair while he goes to the desk to have me admitted. My mind's racing, thinking about all of the things that happened in the last couple of days. I can't believe that the two most important men in my life conspired to ruin my life in the hope of protecting me.

But at this moment, the only thing of any importance to me is for my baby to be okay.

"I gave them your information at the desk and the triage nurse is ready to see you now, honey."

"Thanks, Dad."

"How are you feeling? He asks worriedly, as he wheels me in to have my blood pressure and temperature taken by the triage nurse.

"Like crap, but my stomach doesn't hurt as much."

"Bella, I know you're upset with me and Edward, but I think we should call him."

"No, I can't deal with him right now. I need to know that my baby is okay. It's all I can focus on right now."

"Bella…" He tries once again but is interrupted by the nurse.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth the triage nurse. You're Isabella?

"Bella."

"Bella, that's pretty," she says with a bright smile.

"I'll be in the waiting room until you're done, sweetheart."

"Wait, will you come with me, I don't want to do this alone Dad?"

"It's okay, Bella, your father can go with you when it's time to see the doctor."

I nod and turn to let my father know that I'm alright.

I sit quietly while she reaches for her equipment and types a few things into the computer.

"Now, Bella, I understand you're experiencing some lower abdominal cramping and vomiting?"

"Um, yes."

"I also understand that you're in your first trimester, about nine weeks or so?" I nod.

"Okay, let's get your BP and temp taken and get you in to see the doctor."

She quickly slips the thermometer under my tongue and the cuff on my arm. My arm feels like it's being squeezed by a boa constrictor.

I watch anxiously as she types a few more things into the computer and scribbles some things down on a chart, not once uttering a word.

"Is my baby going to be alright?"

"Well, your blood pressure and temp are normal. That's a good thing. Let's wait until the doctor examines you before we get ahead of ourselves with worry, okay?" She lays a comforting hand on my arm.

"Okay." It's all I can manage as the lump in my throat multiplies in size.

"First pregnancies are always the most nerve racking." She adds in a whisper.

It doesn't take long for the nurses to get me set up in a room, intravenous needle, blood pressure cuff, pulse ox and heart monitor are all in place. I feel like some sort of science experiment.

I still haven't received any answers as to what could be wrong, and the more time passes, the more frightened I become. _I will take better care of you, I promise. Please just be okay in there. _I silently beg the tiny being inside of me.

Charlie paces the four by nothing room like a caged lion. He's driving me crazy. But I know how hospitals make him feel. I feel the same way.

Every time he hears the monitor beep abnormally or falter, he'd stop and glance worriedly at the screen.

"Dad," I reach for his hand tenderly. "Sit with me." He exhales and relaxes his shoulders as he finally sits on the edge of the bed.

"Bella, I'm so sorry…." He shakes his head sadly.

"I know."

It's all I can say at the moment, and he nods in understanding. I understand why he did what he felt he needed to do. And I will forgive him. I'm all he has and vice versa. Right now, I need my father to get me through this.

The doctor finally enters the room, all bright, shiny teeth and beaming with exuberance, which makes me feel a bit uneasy. _No one should be this happy._

"Bella Swan?"

"Yes," my dad and I answer at the same time.

"Two Bella Swans, great!" He claps his hands together in delight, voice thick with a West Indies accent. "Which one is having the baby?" he asks humorously.

_Is this guy serious?_

My father and I exchange worried glances, and he leans in to whisper in my ear. "Just say the word, and I'll have him thrown out and a new doc in here ASAP."

I shrug and smile nervously as the doctor wheels a machine over to the bed.

"Are you the father?" he addresses Charlie.

"I'm _her_ father you qua…"

"Ummm, no. He's my father, Doctor…?" I interject quickly and wait for him to introduce himself properly.

"Oh forgive me, I'm Doctor Laurent" He shakes my hand. " So Bella, tell me what's going on."

"Um, I was having stomach pains and throwing up, and here I am."

"Any spotting or bleeding of any kind?" He rolls up my hospital gown, applying gentle pressure to my lower abdomen.

"No." I recoil a little from the coolness of his hands.

"Good, any other cramping, other than today?"

"No," I answer hesitantly, trying to recall if there were other moments when I felt like this.

"Any, fever, chills, vaginal discharge?"

"Oh for the love of Christ," I hear my father mutter, and my face instantly feels blazing hot.

"Um, no…Doctor."

"Good! Let's just take a look on the ultrasound monitor and see what the little bugger is doing inside there."

He squirts the cool gel on my belly and starts moving the probe around. After a few 'umms' and 'okay's', he points out all the parts of the little object on the screen, my baby, that's my baby. _My baby._

I stare in amazement as he slows his movements and turns up the volume so we can hear the rapid aquatic sounds that he tells me is the baby's heart beating.

I gape at my father in astonishment, and the tears that I hadn't realized were there, spill over. The look on his face mirrors my own as his hand squeezes mine lovingly.

"Everything looks great, Ms Swan. You're about ten weeks or so, but the baby looks fine. It's growing at the right pace, and it looks like you will be due for delivery around mid-April of next year."

"He's alright?" I'm filled a mixture of nerves and happiness.

"He? Are you sure about that already?" He tilts his head with a smirk.

"Oh…I-I don't know….I just…is it a he…can you tell?"

"Unfortunately, I can't, it's a bit too soon, but I can assure you that everything is fine with you and your baby. But I can assume that you've had quite an intake of highly greasy foods, which will cause indigestion and acid-reflux in pregnant women. You'll be fine," he reaches for a couple of photo's he took and hands them to me.

"I think you'll like to have these. Here you are, Ms. Swan. Just follow up with your OB/GYN and keep to your folic acid and prenatal vitamins regimen, everything should be fine."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"The pleasure was all mine. I'll go start on your discharge."

"There's that word again."

"Dad!" I playfully smack his arm.

"I'm just saying."

"Oh, you're okay, you're going to be okay, little one," I chant to my belly. "You can't scare your mommy like that."

"Mommy, huh?" He's looking down at me lovingly.

"What do you think? I hand him the ultrasound photo. He takes the picture from my fingers and stares at it, tears glistening in his eyes.

"I think my baby girl is going to be a mommy." He shakes his head and beams with pride. "Amazing."

**_ ~~~W~~~_**

"So, how long are you staying?" He's lounging on the floor next to me as we get ready to watch a marathon of Cops, armed with turkey subs and sodas.

"Getting tired of me so soon?"

It's like the entire mood has shifted on its axis, and all because of a baby. This baby seems to have the power to mend our fractured relationship in no time at all.

"Why don't you move back here? You can finish school here, and I want to help raise my grandson," he adds with a wink.

"I may just take you up on that. I don't know, I have a lot of things to sort out before I make any rash or permanent decisions regarding me or the baby."

"And Edward?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly and eye him cautiously. "He married her, Dad. He could have trusted me. There was a better way."

"So, you're going to punish him by keeping him away from his baby?"

"No," I whisper sadly. "I love him."

"Then tell him, Bella. I know he fucked up. We both fucked up!"

Charlie doesn't have a 'bad word' filter, but I've never heard him use the 'F' word before either. My eyebrows shoot, up and he waves me off.

"It was the dumbest thing that we could've done, but he did it because he didn't want you to lose me. He loves you with such passion, Bella. He would do _anything_ for you."

I think about everything he's saying. And on some level, I know that he's right, but Edward did the one thing that he knew would wreck me. He could just have walked away. He could just have said that it wasn't working for him, but after everything we went through with the whole 'Tanya' situation in the beginning, this time it's too much. He made this decision and didn't have the guts to tell me to my face that he was marrying her. He simply let me walk right into it, blindsiding and humiliating me.

At this point, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just happy that my baby is healthy. That's all I can ask for.

**_ ~~~W~~~_**

My dad has fallen asleep on the sofa, and I decide to go upstairs and get the proper rest that I need for the baby and me.

I collapse backward onto the mattress. "It looks like it's just you and me little one." I run a hand over my stomach and sigh deeply.

As much as I try, I can't shake the images of that ring on Tanya's finger, and her spouting off about them being married. I can't stop thinking about the way his face looked when he was pleading with me to leave with him. _He loves me._

I replay everything that my father told me this evening, becoming more and more confused. _Why does everything he does have to go to such drastic lengths? _ _Why can't he ever just be honest? Lying always seems easier for him._

I catch a glimpse of the flashing voicemail icon on my phone. It's been flashing ever since _that _night. I know that he left messages, but I didn't listen to them. I didn't want to hear what he had to say _then._

I reach over and pick up the phone and gently tap the screen and press 'play', holding the phone to my ear.

_"Bella, baby I'm so sorry, please you don't have to talk to me just call me and say you're okay, fuck, send me a text or something! I've been sitting in front of your apartment for two hours, and I'm not leaving until I know your alright…Bella I know what you must think….Shit!...Baby, please just call me."_

I shiver as if I'm hearing his voice for the first time. All those feelings I had when I first met him, when I first saw him, wash over me. That smirk, those intense, gorgeous eyes and that sly sense of humor, all the things that I love so much about him, overwhelm me.

I pull the phone from my ear and tap the screen to replay it. I lay the phone down on the mattress and hit the speaker.

_"Bella, baby I'm so sorry, please you don't have to talk to me just call me and say you're okay, fuck, send me a text or something! I've been sitting in front of your apartment for two hours, and I'm not leaving until I know your alright….Bella I know what you must think….Shit!...Baby, please just call me."_

Rewind.

Play.

_"Bella, baby I'm so sorry, please you don't have to talk to me just call me and say you're okay-_

Rewind.

Play.

Twenty-three times, I obsess over his voice twenty-three times, before I'm thoroughly exhausted and finally turn over onto my side, letting myself drift off.

Dreams can be scary. They can be truthful. They can also be wonderful, beautiful. The kind you never want to wake up from.

The dream I was having was just that. Beautiful, wonderful, I didn't want to wake from it.

_Two amazingly beautiful, full heads of copper hair in my distant view. One playfully runs, the other gives chase. Two identical, sly smirks mirror each other as two identical noses exchange Eskimo kisses when one finally catches the other and sweeps him up into his arms. _

_The wide smile on my face can't be contained as I happily watch them. We're happy… my beautiful husband, my beautiful son. My dream is beautiful._

"Edward," I sigh contentedly.

* * *

_**~~W~~**_


	28. Chapter 28, Preparation

**Chapter 28: Preparation**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Still the same. Stephanie has it all._**

**_BPOV_**

**_4 months later…._**

"What the hell is this…baby rash ointment?" He scrunched his face in disgust.

"Believe me, Jake, I will definitely be needing about a year's supply of it." I snatch the box from his fingers and toss it in the cart.

We've agreed to go to Target together to do some shopping. He has some household shopping to do and me…well I'm entering my seventh month of pregnancy and haven't bought a thing for the baby yet.

We make our way down the aisles, picking out random things I would need. I guess I would be lying if I said I have nothing for the baby. Rose is taking her godmother duties extremely seriously. She's been bombarding me with stuffed animals and unisex baby clothing since she found out I was pregnant. I nearly had to tear her and Angela apart after both vehemently expressed their feelings about being the baby's godmother. Yeah, Rose won.

"Let me see that list." He snatches the paper from my hand.

"Diapers," he announces proudly, grabbing a pack of extra large Pampers from the shelf, tossing it into the cart.

You're an idiot. I need swaddlers, Jake. I'm having an infant, not an elephant." I grab the pack and smack it into his chest.

"One can never tell, with the way you eat and the size of your gut."

My mouth falls open in astonishment. "I can see why Emily dumped you," I snark.

"That was a low blow, Swan, and you know it."

Since all the drama that had happened between us, we're in a better place. He's my friend and is very supportive of my decision to have the baby and raise it on my own.

He'd been dating Emily off and on for about five months. I was happy for him, but he's a typical male…can't seem to get it right and has no idea of how not to fuck up.

"She'll forgive your sorry ass. She loves you, Jake."

"Yeah, that seems to be the problem," he says blandly, pretending to pay attention to the items in front of him.

"What do you mean?" I look at him curiously before reaching for an assortment of baby bath lotions and wipes.

"The whole reason we broke up is because I haven't said it back."

"And why not? I know you care for her, Jake."

He sighs heavily and turns to face me. "Relationships, love….babies," he gestures at my enormous belly, "I don't know if I can do all that, Bella."

"Don't you think you're being a tad paranoid? It's just saying 'I love you', not everyone ends up pregnant." I add an eye-roll for emphasis.

"I know," he exhales in defeat. "Look, don't get me wrong, Bella, but I just don't know if she's the one for me." He turns his gaze to me.

_Oh dear God, not this again._

"Jake I…" I start protesting.

"Pump your breaks, Bella." He halts my words. "I'm over you. I'm just not sure Emily is who I want."

"Jake…"

"And before you utter another word, I don't want to talk about this right now, unless you want to swap stories about our disastrous love lives." He cocks an eyebrow at me skeptically.

I didn't want to go down that road, so I quickly make the 'zip the lip and throw the key away' gesture.

"Good."

We move into the next aisle in awkward silence, both caught up in our heads…him thinking about Emily…me, Edward_. What do they say about misery again?_

"Brown Eyes?" A familiar, velvet voice calls from behind me, a voice that I haven't heard for four months. I whirl around and my eyes lock on a pair of intense green ones, and just like that, it feels like our entire past plays out in my head in one fluid motion.

"Ed…Edward," I gasp. My head whips back around to Jake who has a look of surprise and irritation on his face. He doesn't say a word or move a muscle.

_Of all fucking places to see Edward Cullen. We're in fucking Target for Christ's sake! He's a Goddamned gazillionaire, and he's in Target. Great!_

"What…what are you doing here?" _Smart, Bella._

"Contact solution." He holds up the contents in his hand. "And you're pregnant," he drawls. "Wow," he adds, a flurry of mixed emotions move across his face, hurt, sadness, shock and some might say subdued happiness. _Is he happy? _

I begin to panic. I feel all the color drain from my entire body…I'm scared shitless. _Deep breaths._

His eyes don't break contact with mine. Finally, he swallows hard and bows his head slightly. He looks down at his perfect Italian loafers. I watch as the little v forms between his deep brows, his jaw clenching over and over. _He's pissed off. Of course, he is! Why isn't he saying anything? Why isn't he flipping out? Deep breaths._

"A baby," he whispers, as if he the word doesn't make any sense.

I'm finally able to formulate coherent words. "Edward," my voice breaks, "I'm so sor…"

"No," he shakes his head, "you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who's sorry, Brown–Bella."

He looks up to face me, his eyes are red rimmed, and he looks like he's fighting to hold back tears.

I knew that when this day came it would be tough. But this is gut wrenching. I have no idea how to say the words.

I've practiced them diligently at night when I think about him, and they seemed so easy then.

Each time I've picked up the phone to call him, each time I've built up enough courage to go to his office and tell him, I've backed down either because I've been devastated all over again by the local news reporting that the newly married couple were spotted house hunting, or by their faces being flashed across the TVs screen, or splattered on some weekly magazine. It just hits me like a wrecking ball each and every time.

Tanya is always gorgeous and fabulous, hanging all over him like the doting wife. Edward always looks as if he's miserable and so disinterested in her. I wonder if it's true? I wonder if Charlie had not told me the truth, if I would be seeing it that way.

Now here we are, standing face to face, me with a six-and-a half month baby bump and the man I love, pleading with his eyes for me to say something to stop him from drowning.

I step closer to him as my mouth opens and closes repeatedly, trying to find the right words, but he interrupts by stepping around me.

"Congratulations," he reaches out and grabs Jake's hand, giving it one firm shake," take care of her and," his voice trails off, "and the baby." He turns around quickly and walks away. _No!_

I gape at Jake in horror, and surprisingly his expression mirrors my own. _He thinks Jake's the father!_

"Oh my God!" I gush out like the wind has been knocked right out of me. Slightly doubled over, I brace myself against one of the shelves and try to regulate my breathing. "Jake."

"I know I'm going to need therapy after telling you this, but go after him, Bella. Tell him the truth."

"Oh my God…I can't! He thinks the baby is yours! How can he think that?"

"That's why you need to go after him!"

I look around trying to figure out what the hell just happened. And then my eyes settle on the shopping cart Jake and I are sharing. It contains an abundance of baby items and Jake had been pushing it when Edward first spotted us.

"He thinks you and I are….and you're the father!"

I take off in a hurry, half waddling and brisk walking to catch up to him, but he's nowhere in sight. _Damn it_

Then I see him through the store window as he walks through the parking lot. I quickly make my way out of the store and follow his retreating form, grimacing in discomfort.

"Edward, wait!" He doesn't hear me. "Edward!"

That time he does and spins around to face me.

"Bella? What are you doing? You shouldn't be running in your condition. Fuck, your condition." He runs a hand through his hair in exasperation. "You're pregnant, Bella. God!"

My heart's beating at an unhealthy pace. _God! Calm down, Bella. This isn't good for you or the baby. Deep breaths. _

"I…" is all I can manage to force out because my throat feels like it's constricting.

"God, is this really happening? I feel like I can't breathe. This shit cannot be happening."

I can only stare at him as he works himself into more of a state. He's searching for words, and I just cannot seem to force myself to interrupt him. He's agitated and seems so overwhelmed and exasperated and hurt or angry. I'm not sure which, because emotions are just moving across his face so fast. And I'm feeling just as overwhelmed right now. I'm fighting internally to gather the right words to make this right, to calm us both.

"This is wrong," he shakes his head like a disobedient child. "This is so fucking wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"I didn't want it to be like this," I finally speak.

"When I saw you two together…" His voice trails off, and deep in thought.

"Edward.."

"Fuck, this was not supposed to happen! I just wanted you to be happy."

I recoil as he smashes the hood of his car with his fist.

"But you married her. How could I be happy when you married her?" And suddenly, I am angry all over again.

His next words confuse and stun me completely.

"It should've been us…all of it…the wedding and the baby. It should be mine, Bella. I want it to be mine! God, I want to go back in there and kill him with my bare hands." He scrubs a hand roughly over his face to calm himself.

"Stop it, Edward. This isn't about Jake! You left me!"

"Don't you see, Bella? It's always about him! He's always around! You two were together that night. I saw you!"

"What?" I have no idea what he's ranting about, and I'm beginning to get more pissed off.

He won't acknowledge the fact that he caused this mess with the whole Tanya debacle, and the lies he told, yet again. Blaming Jake is all he can seem to do, when in fact; Tanya existed way before Jake came into the picture.

"I can't believe you. After everything that's happened, you still think it's about, Jake. After all the lies and manipulation, your jealousy seems to be the only thing that you can focus on, Edward."

"What do you want me to say, Bella? This is who I am. I'm jealous of him! He has everything that I want, everything that's supposed to be mine!"

"I'm not your property, Edward. You had me and you threw me away like I was garbage. You said you loved me and you ruined it!" I scream so hard, my entire body shakes.

He blinks at me in astonishment. "I still love you, Brown Eyes. I've never stopped. You do know that…don't you?" He searches my eyes for an honest response.

He reaches up hesitantly and touches my cheek with the back of his knuckles. "I know the baby will be as beautiful as you…same brown eyes," he whispers as his hand trails down and caresses my stomach affectionately.

"You will never know just how much I truly love you, Bella." He kisses my forehead and quickly enters his car, leaving me there in the parking lot, trembling all over.

_It's a lost cause._

**_ ~~~W~~~_**

"You haven't said anything the entire ride. What happened?"

"He thinks the baby is yours," I say flatly.

"Bella," he sighs, "I thought the whole reason for chasing him down was for you to correct that little misunderstanding."

"I tried, it didn't work." I shake my head.

"Bella, I hate that guy. I hate him for the way he treated you, but you have to tell him about the baby. It's the right thing to do. Any idiot can see how much he loves you, the control freak that he is," he adds for good measure.

"You sound like Charlie."

"He's right."

That ends the conversation until we reach my apartment. I struggle to climb down out of his truck and go to retrieve my bags from the back.

"I'll get those. You just concentrate on walking."

I roll my eyes at his smartass comment. _Smug Bastard! _He has no idea how difficult it is carrying around another being inside your belly.

I'm not that bad. I've only gained fifteen pounds…so far. My doctor doesn't seem to be concerned, so screw Jake.

I dig in my bag for the keys and unlock the door.

"Surprise!"

I nearly collapse as I see Rose and Angela in the doorway, along with my friends from school and work.

I stand with one hand clutching my chest and my mouth agape, while my eyes take in all of the adorable baby shower decorations and the ridiculous amounts of food. Food I'm sure to be devouring copious amounts of at any moment.

The room is adorned with tons of coordinating balloons and an enormous cake in the shape of a baby carriage.

_God, Rose. How did they get it to stand up that way?_

Peter and Charlotte are beaming at me. A couple of my college professors are also here. I'm so overwhelmed and on the verge of tears.

"Oh my God! You knew about this, didn't you?" I turn to Jake who's barely making it up the porch steps laden down with bags. He smiles and simply shrugs.

"Rose, Angela, you two are in so much…"

"Yeah, yeah, you can bitch about it later, but my godchild is going to have the world, starting with the shower I knew you wouldn't let me plan if you were privy to it." Rose pulls me inside and gently leads me to the buffet of food.

"We got all your favorite foods, mama," Angela adds, taking a quick snapshot.

_Mama?_

"Ughh, no pictures!" I squeal happily and pile my plate with food.

"I love you guys so much."

**_~~~~~W~~~~~_**

**_EPOV_**

I've been sitting in my office in complete darkness for about an hour or so.

After bumping into Bella and getting the wake-up call of a lifetime, this is where I find myself…closed off in my office, angry…sulking really. I cannot believe how this day's taken a turn for the worse.

"Why the fuck is it so dark in here?" James clicks on the lights in my office.

"Turn them back off, _now,_" I snap and I'm instantly back in darkness.

"Damn...don't bite my head off. How the hell did you get it so dark at four in the afternoon? What's going on…you have a migraine or something? You're looking more brooding than usual. What gives?"

_Fucking questions._

"A migraine would be much welcomed at the moment."

"Well, whatever's wrong, you'd better straighten up, mom and dad are on their way to your office as well."

"Fucking perfect."

"We have about twenty minutes or so before the Board meeting. Do you want to talk about it?"

I let out an aggravated huff and blurt, "Bella's pregnant. End of story."

If I could see his face I'm sure it mirrors what mine looked like when I saw Bella's swollen belly.

"Whoa, what? You got Bella pregnant!"

"Fucking Christ, do you not understand the statement 'end of story'? Bella is pregnant, not by me. End of story!"

"Then by whom?" he pries.

He sees the murderous glare I shoot him even in the subdued lighting. It's enough to let him know that I'm not about to answer that question and to drop the subject instantly.

"Okay, okay fine," he throws up his hands in concession and starts on another topic. "So, how are you feeling about the dinner tonight at your dreaded in-laws?"

"Don't remind me. I'm dreading it," I sigh.

The Denalis are hosting a benefit dinner at their mansion. Tanya's parents, the dreaded in-laws as we've named them.

The benefit is for a worthy cause that both the Cullens and Denalis, along with a host of other business associates and colleagues support.

The benefit is for Breast Cancer Awareness…one more thing to remind me of Bella. I can't escape her no matter how hard I try. And I haven't tried that damned hard. She is just…everywhere. I'm cursed and obviously a very self-absorbed bastard.

I don't feel like going to this dinner, let alone being under the evil glare of Tanya's grandfather, who's sure to be there.

The man spends his entire retired life toting a rifle and hunting. I believe him to be a little detached from reality and he hates the Cullens, namely me. Says I'm a spoiled pretty-boy gigolo and not good enough to wipe his precious granddaughter's ass. Like I say, detached.

It's definitely going to be one fucked up night.

Dazed is the current state I'd describe that I'm in, when my parents emerge at my office door.

'My two handsome boys," my mother announces as she enters, kissing my temple, followed by an identical one to James'.

"Why is it so dark in here?" In one fluid motion, she moves the curtain back with her hand, letting in the glaring sunlight.

_Can't a guy wallow in peace? Not in the Cullen clan. Great now I'm answering myself._

I'm still wrapped up in my thoughts about Bella, but can hear a distorted version of a conversation going on in the room.

"What do you think, son?"

"What?" I shake my head as I'm snapped out of my reverie by my father's voice.

"I said Aro Volturi was rather impressed with the proposal James presented at the last Board meeting, so much so that he wants to fly him down to Italy to discuss a possible Volturi/Cullen Oil merger," he beams.

"Seriously? Congratulations, man. That's fantastic." I rise from my desk and give James a congratulatory handshake and clap on the back.

"Thanks, brother." He sports shit-eating grin.

"I'm so proud of the two of you," my mother chimes in, "you're both coming into your own at such a young age. You're both creating a legacy for your future. All we have to do now, is find the right girl and get him hitched and some grandchildren from you," she says, turning to address me.

"Don't start, mom," James and I sing in unison.

"What?" she asks in mock astonishment.

'Don't worry. I'll get her out of here before she starts," my father says with a wink and ushers my protesting mother out of the door, while yelling, "board room three in ten minutes, boys."

**_~~~~~W~~~~~_**

**_...Just prior to the Denali Dinner_**

"Edward, what do you think of this dress?"

"The same thing I thought of the last five dresses you showed me, Tanya. They're all gorgeous. Now pick one and let's get out of here. The sooner we arrive at this thing, the sooner we can leave." I'm irritated.

Having seen Bella earlier, finding out that she's pregnant with another man's baby and tack on this dinner party, I'd say irritated is a gross understatement to describe the way I'm feeling.

Fumbling with my bowtie for about the fifth time, I finally give up, snatch the offending damned thing off and toss it on the bed.

"Oh Edward, sweetie you have to wear a tie. Granddaddy will flip if you show up without it," she pouts and crosses the room to retrieve it.

"Yeah, God forbid I show up without a tie. The man carries a gun on him at all times, Tanya. A tie should be the last thing he's concerned with."

She simply smiles warmly at my sarcasm and proceeds tie the bowtie around my neck.

"You are extremely handsome and undoubtedly the sexiest man on the face of the planet," she breathes, staring up into my eyes. Then plays with the slight stubble on my chin.

_Oh brother,_

She's dressed only in a miniscule satin robe, tied securely at the waist, but I know she's completely nude underneath.

Our marriage still hasn't progressed further than us being business partners and keeping up photo op facades. It isn't for her lack of trying, though. And let's be honest, she's my wife, gorgeous, hot and we have been married for months now, but still no sex, effectively ending the myth that guys can't go without it for a certain length of time. I'm certainly proof that that's not the case.

There have been times when we would kiss or give borderline affectionate touches, but nothing of significance.

On one occasion things had gotten a bit out of hand, but in the end I knew I would never be able to make love to, Tanya.

**_Flashback_**

I'm standing in the shower underneath the spray, letting the force of the hot water drench my body.

_Damn I need this._

After a stressful day at the office and an exhausting workout in the gym, this is exactly what I need. The water continues to pour over my scalp as I brace both hands on the marbled tile, my head bowed deep in thought.

In one swift motion, the glass door opens and Tanya steps in behind me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I ask nonchalantly. We've been in this predicament before.

"Conserving water," she replies sweetly and slides her cool hands from the small of my back up to my shoulders.

"That's bullshit."

"You know me so well," she giggles and wraps her arms around me from behind, bringing her naked body flush with mine.

I can feel the erectness of her nipples pressed against my back, and my cock starts to stiffen.

Two months into our undesired nuptials, and we've yet to consummate it. I'm not the slightest bit closer to getting over my feelings for Bella.

"You're so tense, baby." She trails her warm lips across my back.

I shut my eyes tightly and try to fight the images of her beautiful brown hair cascading down her nude back.

_Bella._

"Mmm, you're so ready for me," she purrs as her hand palms my erection, and she massages gently.

That's enough to jerk me from my thoughts and pull her hand away.

"Stop it, Tanya," I warn and abruptly shut off the shower and step out, grabbing a towel on my way out of the bathroom.

Before leaving I catch a glimpse of her shocked expression…not to mention her amazing soaked physique out of the corner of my eye.

_Jesus Christ!_

"I cannot believe that you are doing this again," she storms in after me. "When are you going to get over her, Edward?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you again, Tanya. I don't want to talk about, Bella."

"Good, because I don't want to talk about her either. I want to talk about the fact that here I am, standing completely wet and naked in your bedroom, and you haven't even looked at me! Are you really that turned off by me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You're gorgeous, Tanya," I reply flatly as I dry my hair roughly with the towel.

"I don't get it, Edward. That girl was beneath you, and she can't begin to give you the things that I can."

"Do _not_ talk about her ever again," I snap, whirling around to see the sight of her dripping wet.

_Christ!_

"Will you put on some clothes please!"

A devilish smirk appears on her face as she perches her hands on her bare hips, "Does my being naked bother you, hubby?"

_Jesus fucking Christ, yes!_

"No," I lie.

My eyes travel the length of her dewy, moist skin. I can feel myself starting to sweat. Truth is I'm horny as fuck. I'm a man after all, and we are married.

The sight of water droplets dripping from her pert nipples is enough to make my mouth go completely dry.

"Just…put some clothes on, Tanya." I repeat hesitantly.

"Make me," she responds and sucks her pointer finger in her mouth, then trails it down between her breasts…slowly.

I follow that finger with my eyes lazily and lick my lips.

_You could fuck her._ My conscience reminds me. _You could fuck her so hard up against the bedroom door. She wants it. She's your wife._

She knows what she's doing. She's taunting me, seducing me.

_Cruel woman._

"Did she make you feel like this, Edward, hmm?" Her hands descend lower.

"Shut up, Tanya."

"Did she make you as hard as I'm making you right now?"

"I said shut up," I say through gritted teeth.

It's if I can hear the throbbing of my dick in my ears, beating like a fucking heartbeat.

"Why don't you just get the hell out of here."

"As you wish," she sings and turns to walk away, but not before wiggling her ass in my view. I'm behind her in two seconds, pressing her up against the door.

"Is this what you want, huh!" I push my erection into her ass. "You want my cock, Tanya?"

"Oh God, yes. I want you so badly. I need you inside me," she pants and spins around and plunges her tongue roughly into my mouth.

"Mmmm," we hum in unison at the clashing of our teeth. She pulls away and frantically nips at my chin, jaw and neck.

"Wrap your legs around me," I order. And with a groan I hoist her higher up my waist, my fingers digging into her ass.

"Oh God, I've waited so long for this," she breathes in my ear and begins sucking on my lobe.

_Oh fuck that feels so good, Brown eyes._

Yes, I'm fucking hallucinating and it feels great. I can feel her. I can hear her giggles. I can smell her. She smells fan-fucking-tastic.

I reach a hand up to run through her hair and sigh at the silky feeling on my fingertips.

"Oh, Edward," she moans

"Mmmm, Brown Eyes."

"What!" she gasps.

_Fuck!_

I'm frozen for a moment then unwind her legs from my waist and slowly place her back firmly back on the floor, "I can't do this," I say apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"I cannot fucking believe you, Edward Cullen!"

**_End of Flashback._**

"I love it when you don't shave, it's sexy. Maybe tonight is our night," she adds, dragging her thumb across my bottom lip.

"Listen, Tanya…"

"Shh, save that thought for later." She places a finger over my lips. "I need to slither into one of these fabulous dresses and later I'll have a surprise for you." She leaves with wink and a twirl into the dressing room.

_Surprise? I don't want to know._

An hour and half later, we arrive at Tanya's parents' house, me dressed in a dark grey suit, sans the bowtie and Tanya in some black silk number that took her way too damned long to decide on.

_Women._

Walking through the Denali mansion doors, we're greeted by Tanya's mother.

"Sweetie, Edward, don't you two look the portrait of royalty," she addresses us with a hug.

"Hello, Mommy, you look wonderful," Tanya gushes and returns her mother's embrace.

"Mrs. Denali."

"Edward, you're my son-in-law now, call me Mom."

_Like hell._

"Oh, Edward already has one mother, McKenzie," my mother slithers up behind me and chimes in. "Hi, sweetheart." She kisses me on the cheek.

"Hello, Mother."

"Esme, how are you? I'm glad you could make it. Where's that handsome husband of yours?"

"He's caught up in some serious conversation with your equally handsome husband…business you know."

"I do know." They both walked off gossiping about their married lives.

"That's scary," James says, popping up from behind.

"When did you get here?"

"I've been here for about twenty minutes, and I'm ready to go."

"I'm with you," I leaned in and whisper to him.

"You're not going anywhere Mister, and I better be able to find you after I go and speak to my grandparents," Tanya interjects with one raised eyebrow.

"Just go and talk to your grandparents. I'll be here."

_So much for the escape._

Her eyes dart back and forth between James and me as she cautiously backs away.

"She is the living version of what they call ball and chain. I feel for you, brother." He claps me on the back.

"Yeah, and she's up to something too. Not sure what, though. Where's your date by the way?"

"No date, no problems."

I nod in agreement and scan the room briefly to see who made it to the benefit dinner.

All of the Cullens, except for Smidge are in attendance. Mrs. Cope has some colleagues of mine held up in the corner, I'm sure she's preaching to them about the importance of money management.

She spots me and gives me a cheerful wave from across the room. I return the greeting and continue looking around the room.

My eyes finally settle on a pair of ice-blue eyes that are staring at me with unbridled animosity…Tanya's grandfather.

The man reminded me of Clint Eastwood and is equally scary. I nod a greeting in his direction, and he returns it with a small sneer.

_What's this guy's fucking problem?_

"Ladies and gentlemen if I could please have a moment of your time," Tanya's father taps his champagne glass; interrupting the stare down I was having with his father. "As you all know, I'm Windsor Denali, and on behalf of me and my lovely wife McKenzie, we would like to thank you all for attending this very special event.

We are gathered here tonight not to mourn those that we have lost, but to celebrate those who are still with us today…those who have defied the odds and have survived. Breast Cancer is a serious, life altering illness, and tonight we plan to do everything we can to beat it into submission."

My thoughts are instantly on, Bella and her mom. I don't know all the details of what happened in their lives, but I do know that she was stricken with the illness at a young age. I wish I could have met her. I listen as Windsor speaks.

"Now I want you all to dig generously into you're wallets and purses," he pauses with an amused, charming smile, "and give all you can. My wife is holding the donation box and your donation buys you a commemorative ribbon, symbolizing Breast Cancer Awareness. It's a priceless token, and the reward is great. Let's support the cause. Cheers."

"Cheers!" The crowd responds enthusiastically.

Applause erupts, and guests soon surround Tanya's mother, eager to donate.

"It's a worthy cause," James mentions.

"It is." I dig into the inside of my jacket for my checkbook. "Thinking about her?" he asked referring to, Bella.

"Always."

As I'm writing out the check, Tanya bounces over to me with an exuberant smile.

"Oh good you're already donating."

I rip out the check and present it to Tanya and watch her eyes bug out of her head.

"Ten million dollars?"

"Let me see that," James says in surprise, pulling the check from Tanya's fingers.

"Wow, dude, you are one whipped son of a bitch." He mumbles under his breath and shakes his head before he walks away.

"Edward, I know this is a worthy cause and we can afford it, but there's no need to give away the house, baby."

"Give your mother the check, Tanya."

"Okay, but I had no idea that you were so passionate about the cause."

_There's a lot you don't know about me._

After dinner, I'm standing alone, still wrapped up in my thoughts. Tanya's mingling with guests and showing off her wedding ring to those who have yet to see it.

I see Ms. Cope approaching me, and I try to perk up my somber mood, preparing myself for the lecture I'm about to receive.

"Good evening Ms. Cope. How are you?"

"Hello, Edward, I'm wonderful this evening. It's a lovely benefit event, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, I would have to say it is."

"I was a little shocked and surprised to hear of your impromptu wedding to the now Mrs. Cullen."

_And here it comes._

"Tanya and I thought it would be best to have a small wedding."

"Oh cut the crap, Edward. You know exactly what I mean."

I swallow thickly and loosen my tie, then realize that I'm not wearing one.

_I feel like I'm choking. Is it getting hot in here?_

"I'm sorry Ms. Cope, but I don't know what you mean, exactly."

"Isabella."

_Shit._

"Ms. Cope…"

"I don't want to know the deets."

_Deets?_

"I just hope you didn't hurt her, because she is an extraordinary young woman with a bright future, and she was absolutely and crazily in love with you. That's all I'm going to say."

_Deets? Where's this woman getting her lingo?_

Before I have a chance to respond to anything she's had to say, she walks away, leaving me feeling worse than I'd been feeling five minutes before.

"Edward, son there you are. I've been looking all over for you," my father says as he comes over to me. Tanya's father and two men I don't recognize accompany him.

"Dad," I formally shake his hand.

You already know, Windsor obviously." He chuckles at his little joke.

I shake my father-in-law's hand and direct my attention to the gentleman before me. He's a slightly mobbish looking man, the type that's extremely wealthy and all about business…the kind of man you don't want to cross. Something about him gives me the fucking creeps, but I can't put my finger on what it is.

Normally, my father chooses excellent business partners. This guy I'm not so sure about. Something just seems off.

"Edward, I want you to meet Aro Volturi and his partner Dominic."

"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure, finally," I respond, giving them each a firm handshake.

His partner bears a small resemblance to one Tony Soprano…huge, hair slicked back, bodyguardish…doesn't seem like he's in the oil business at all…more like into the 'breaking bones' kind of business.

"It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet Carlisle's brilliant and highly successful son, or shall I say sons. James will be coming to Italy I presume?"

"Yes, he will, and he's looking forward to doing business with you, Aro," my father responds proudly.

"Good, I'll look forward to it. Sometime soon I hope to be doing business with you as well, Edward."

"You can count on it, Mr. Volturi."

"Call me Aro, please."

I nod and shake his hand one last time before he retreats in pursuit of my brother.

"Your trip to Italy will have to wait son. We have pressing matters to deal with here. You didn't tell me about the Cullen oil stock situation."

"James is handling it, Dad. No need to worry. It's under control."

"Are you sure James can handle it?"

"He's handling, Aro Volturi, isn't he? Trust him, Dad."

"Okay, enough of oil the talk for one night," Windsor interrupts. " We have a quota to meet with this benefit tonight. And I understand my daughter has an important announcement to make also. Let's get back inside before we're all castrated by our wives."

_Announcement? What the hell is she up to?_

We walk back inside to where we see a huddle of guests forming. There's obviously some commotion going on, and from my view, my mother and sister are the center of attention.

_When the hell did Smidge get here? She's supposed to be in Las Angeles with Tanya's brother._

All I can make out as I approach them, is hushed bickering. My mother looks as if her head is about to explode. She's gripping Alice under her bicep and trying to usher her to some place secluded.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Alice? Have you lost your mind? You're eighteen years old!" My mother whispers through clenched teeth.

"Let go of me mother. I will not let you meddle in my life the way you did Edward and James's. I love Jasper, and you're just going to have to accept it."

"Love him…fine! No one's telling you not to love him, but you didn't have marry him, Alice!"

_Whoa! Married?_

"Take your hands off me, Mother." She snatches her arm away from my mother's grasp. "Jasper and I are married now. It is what it is…deal."

My mother's eyes are wide with fury. I've never seen her this angry or trying so hard to struggle for control. I'm sure if there weren't crowds of people around, she would have torn her hair out at the roots.

"I swear that girl…Carlisle…will you go and talk some sense into her, because if I go after her now, I'll l tear her hair out by the roots!"

"Jesus Christ," my father adds and takes off after Alice, who's now stormed off, leaving us all there in shock.

"Never a dull moment with the Cullens around, huh baby bro?" James snickers and sips his glass of champagne.

James must be a bit buzzed, because Jasper isn't picking himself off the floor for corrupting our little sister.

Jasper's a good guy, but let's face it, Smidge is too young to be married, and despite Jasper being a Denali, which means he's ridiculously rich, he's forgone the desire his parents had for him to run the family business.

He's been a disappointment to them in that regard. The firstborn son to the Denali heir and he wants to be the lead singer in a rock band. I shake my head at the thought. I can just see the look on Windsor's face when Jazz broke the news to him. And this is why Tanya is at the head of the company.

What kind of life can he offer my sister? Traipsing around from city to city with a bunch of burned out band geeks, hoping that some idiotic bastard would think he was talented enough to make him famous. _Christ, what a loser!_

I watch as he follows my father's footsteps in search of my sister. Tanya's parents are as astonished as we all are at what had just transpired.

The guests are all mumbling amongst themselves in true gossip fashion. This is bound to make news headlines in the Chicago morning paper.

Some night this is turning out to be.

Suddenly, Tanya is standing at the head of the room with glass in hand and clanging it with silver spoon to gain attention. She must be about to make the so-called announcement she claims to have.

"Hello, everyone, I have an announcement to make. "

As the murmuring dies down, everyone turns in her direction, obviously curious to know what she's about to reveal. I for one am damned curious.

"On behalf of my family, I just wanted to thank you all for coming and contributing tonight. Tonight is special night and all about family. To my gorgeous, wonderful husband…"

I look at her in confusion as I'm singled out in a room full of anticipating guests.

"You made a very generous donation tonight, and tonight I want to give you something in return. The gift of family…our own family."

_What?_

"Edward and I are going to start a family!" she squeals and gallant applause along with raised champagne glasses fill the air.

_What the fuck!_

"Hey, congratulations, buddy. I didn't know," James says, clapping me on the back.

"Yeah, neither did I," I snap and go to pull Tanya away from the crowd that now surrounds her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? We are not having a baby. I've barely touched you," I spit as I usher her into a quiet corner.

"Babe, we're married and family is important to both of us, and I know you want to have children," she says sweetly.

I can't take it anymore. I have to get away from her before I end up tearing _her_ hair out by the roots.

"I…I can't even be near you right now, Tanya." I throw up my hands and prepare to leave.

"Edward, wait…please? I know a baby will be the best remedy for what's wrong with our marriage, please!"

"You're insane. I mean look at us," I gesture between us. "Don't you see that this is the worst possible time to have baby?"

**_BPOV_**

…**_Back at Bella's baby shower_**

"Ohhh God, this is the worst possible time to have a baby! Ahhhhh!

* * *

**_~~W~~_**


	29. Chapter 29, The Revelation

**Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Revelation**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight._**

**_One and a ha_****lf month later…**

**EPOV**

_God I hate early fucking morning meetings. _ I'm waiting for the hair-brained receptionist to acknowledge me.

"Good-morning, could you tell Ms. Hale that I'm here please?" I clear my throat, disturbing her from her nail filing and personal phone call.

"Oh! Yes, right away, Mr. Cullen. You can see yourself in. Ms. Hale is expecting you."

"Thank you." I walk off, shaking my head at her nonchalant behavior.

I find her sitting in her office, as beautiful and perfect as I remember. She has the most remarkable blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes. _Perfect._

I smile as I watch her twirling the phone cord around her slender, manicured fingertip.

There's a mischievous glint in her eye as she notices me watching her. Her legs are kicked up and heels are resting on the edge of the desk, skirt riding up just a tad to show a peek of thigh. She's always known exactly what to do to get a man's attention.

"Are you looking up my skirt, you pervert?"

"Nothing, I've never seen before, Rosebud."

"Ugh, don't call me that. You're late. I should have your ass thrown out." She returns her legs to the floor and stands behind her desk. _Did I mention that she's perfect? A perfect, beautiful pain in the ass!_

"I see you've stepped out of daddy's shadow and stepped into his footprints, and in record time too, Rosebud."

"Says the guy who changed his major in college in record speed to follow in 'daddy's footsteps', Edward,' she spits.

"Touché. How are you, Rosie?" I step over to her and pull her into a quick embrace.

"I'm peachy and stop with the pet names, Edward. I hate it, and you know it."

"I know you do. Why do you think I do it all the time?" I kiss her forehead and playfully tap her on the ass as we pull apart.

"And keep your hands off of my ass. You're a married man, and Emmett will kick the shit out of you if he ever finds out."

Rose, Emmett and I all attended the same college. She and I took mostly the same classes and studied together occasionally.

Emmett was always trying to get into her pants, but she was sort of a snob, thought she was too good for him. Strangely enough, he won her over a couple of years later, when they met in a bar.

"Emmett knows you're like a sister to me, chill."

"Em knows you always wanted to sleep with me, but failed miserably."

"I never tried to sleep with you!" I smirk in mock astonishment.

"Whatever, Edward. How's married life treating you, by the way?" She offers me a seat on her sofa while she speaks and immediately joins me when I sit down.

"Don't ask," I reply brusquely, not wanting to visit that subject.

"I have to say I was a bit shocked to hear that you actually married that harpy."

"You're not the only one," I mumble. "So, are we going to discuss business or not?"

"All work and no play, huh?"

"Leaves Edward extremely pissed off," I finish.

"How about brunch then? I'll call the receptionist and have it brought over, then we can work, catch up and eat at the same time."

"Sure why not. Other than this meeting, my schedule for the day is clear. I'd love to hang out with the infamous Rosebud for the day."

"Shut up, Cullen," she says in mock irritation and slaps me on the arm. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Iced, baby," I chuckle, which grants me a shake of her head and an eye-roll.

"Same old Edward. I can't believe you still drink that shit."

I give her a small smile as she steps out of the office to speak to the receptionist.

My thoughts start to wander, thinking about the last time I'd actually visited the Starbuck's where Bella works, to satisfy my ridiculous obsession, as James so eloquently puts it.

I haven't been back there since the night when everything blew up in my face, but I won't deny that I've driven past a number of times to satisfy my obsession to see her. I've never caught sight of her though.

I sigh and walk over to the window to clear my head, but it isn't helping. It's been about four months since I've seen her last, and even longer since I've held her in my arms.

I'd thought with time that my feelings for her would fade, but I'm just as much in love with her as I was the day I lost her.

I miss her.

I wonder how she's doing…how the baby is. I guess she's probably given birth by now.

I just know the baby is as beautiful as she is. I imagine him or her having the same large, hypnotic brown eyes as hers and a head full of dark curls, rosy plump cheeks, with lips to match.

I run my hand through my hair, trying to shake the depressing thoughts, but to no avail. The mere mention of fucking iced coffee sent my mind racing.

I'm happy for her. _I think._ No, of course I am. I'm happy for her and the baby. All my dreams of building a life with her play out in my head with such clarity, children and the most amazing home I can give her. I know that she'll be a wonderful mother, sweet, tomboyish, fun and affectionate. Our kids will adore her.

_Wait. Our kids? Christ I'm losing it!_

"Wake up, Cullen. Bella's gone and has a new life now, she's moved on," I chastise myself. One thing is for sure; Bella Swan's imprint will remain on me for my entire life from now until eternity. _Damn woman._

My wallowing is interrupted by a slight bump on the other side of the door.

"I hope you don't mind some company while we have our working brunch," Rose mentions as she returns pushing a baby stroller through the door.

"Umm, no…I don't mind." I'm confused and don't really know what else to say. "You and Em?" I motion to the carriage with my finger.

"Are you insane? I'm not ready to be toting around huge, milk-filled knockers and having one of these latched on to one," she says in indignation, gesturing to the baby.

"Nice image, Rose."

"Don't get me wrong, I adore this little one, but I'm not ready to let go of all this quite yet." She waves a hand down the front of her curvaceous figure.

"I see the narcissism hasn't quite left …" I motion to her body.

She simply shrugs.

"So, whom does this baby belong to, if not you?"

"This little sweetheart is the apple of my eye. She's my goddaughter, Kennedy."

"Hmm, cute name." I take a peek at the sleeping infant. _Cute._

"Yeah, her mom had an emergency, so I have to live up to my duties as godmother. She has an important job interview."

"So, we'll be having brunch, working, catching up and doing it all with baby Kennedy, terrific."

"Don't be snide, Edward. She's a really good baby, and adorable as hell. I'm sure she's going to be a friggin' runway model or something. Look at her. Have you ever seen a more gorgeous face?"

She is kind of gorgeous, in sleeping form at least, and for a baby. The last baby I recall being around was Alice, so I don't have much to compare her to.

I remember my mother gushing over how beautiful Alice was, although she just resembled a wrinkled baby to me. But I was a kid myself, so my reaction was not unexpected.

"I see your wheels turning, Cullen. You're thinking about having one of these with, Tanya?"

"Please," I scoff. "We can't even agree on sleeping arrangements."

"What?" she giggles.

I wave my hand dismissively and walk back over to peer out of the window, disinterested in explaining my sham of a marriage in any detail.

Suddenly, three things happen. The office phone screeches, which causes the baby to wail and Rose to run out of the office to deal with whatever matter was raised by the phone call she's just received.

I'm left with a screaming baby and a set of quickly delivered instructions that I hardly understand. _What the fuck?_

First, I try pushing the stroller and bouncing it slightly; that doesn't work. Next, I reach inside and try plugging her little mouth up with something Rose referred to as a 'binky'; failed attempt.

Her chubby little face is scrunched and turning crimson. _Fuck! What to do now?_

"Shit, okay. Shhh, okay, if I pick you up do you promise to stop screaming?" I try bribing the inconsolable child. I look around the office helplessly, running a hand through my hair, as if that will help matters. _I'm going to fucking strangle you, Rose. Here goes nothing._

I reach in and remember just in time that I have to be careful with her head. I gently lift her out, and cradle her to my chest. The crying stops almost instantly and turns into small, hiccupping sniffles. _Man that was easy enough._

I look down into her little tear-stained face and smile. "You have tears. You really were upset weren't you?" I bounce her gently.

She's wearing a little white, knitted sweater with pink satin embroidered bows all over. The hood of the sweater has slipped off her head enough for me to see the red curls that are peeking out.

"Man, you really are gorgeous, aren't you?" I softly trace her hand, and she grips my finger snuggly. "Green eyes too? You're going to break some poor bastard's heart into a million tiny pieces one day, hell a bunch of bastards," I coo as she watches me with wide eyes.

"I probably shouldn't be using those words with you, huh, highly inappropriate," I whisper.

I'm talking about her breaking other guys' hearts, when all the while she's already wrapping me around her little finger.

She can't be more than two months, and already she was so beautiful and alert, never taking her eyes off me, or letting go of my finger. It's almost as if she's studying me.

"I bet your mommy and daddy are nuts about you," I keep talking, bouncing and rocking, while walking around the office.

"I want to have one just like you one day. I still do, I guess, just not with the bride from hell. Bella was supposed to be the one." I'm babbling on in baby talk, and she smiles.

"Can you say, Bella? You like that name don't you? I can tell by that smirk. Keep that up kid, it will get you anything you want, I promise you," I whisper as if it's our little secret.

"Kennedy is an awesome name, but I think I'm going to call you Minnie. Do you like the name Minnie? It'll be our secret, okay little one? It suits you perfectly. You're so tiny."

She keeps smiling at me as I talk to her, all traces of tears gone. I can finally understand how a person can become attached to a baby so quickly. Baby Kennedy is truly amazing.

"Oh God, Edward!" Rose pants, as she runs back into the office. I'm so sorry I left her with…wait are you holding her?"

I nod, but don't look up from the tiny face.

"You got her to stop crying?"

I nod again. "You're right, Rosebud, she's going to be phenomenal when she grows up."

She walks over to me and caresses her head. "I told you. She seems taken with you."

"All women are, but she is perfect. Look at her."

"I know, I tell her mommy that all the time, don't I Kennedy?"

"I bet she has her father jumping through hoops."

"When I find out who the spineless bastard is, I will definitely put him through a hoop or two myself. Kennedy's father is M.I.A., doesn't even know she exists."

"It's his loss," I answer immediately, "she's special. You can tell."

"Wow, Edward. She has you gaga over her already. Good work, Kennedy," she praises exaggeratedly.

"Listen, Edward, it seems that you have a hold on things, so keep an eye on her until I get back from fixing the mess my father's secretary just made."

I don't even realize that Rose has left again, until I hear the door close. I'm too smitten with the baby to notice anything else.

"Shall I tell you a story, Minnie?" I ask softly as I take a seat on the office sofa. "It's about a beautiful brown-eyed princess named, Bella."

I have to be the sappiest guy on earth.

"Once upon a time there was a… hold on a second, it looks like you lost one of your booties."

Looking around, my eyes finally settle on the knitted sock that she's kicked off. I place her comfortably on the sofa and bend down to retrieve it. "Here we are. Let's get this back on you," I say, taking her tiny foot in my hand as I start to put the sock back on.

She playfully kicks her legs as if she's dodging my efforts. A light jingling sound catches my attention.

"What's this, you have an ankle bracelet? I shake my head in amusement. "Is your godmother spoiling you already? Can't say I blame her."

I toy with the half heart charm and read the inscription, and almost instantly, my heart takes off at an erratic pace. I feel like it's about to jump out of my chest.

I read the inscription about five times, but honestly I knew where it came from, the minute I read the first couple of words. _The most special part of me _I mouth silently once more…

"No way. No, no, no, no," I chant and reach up to my neck, roughly snatching the black cord from around it.

I read Kennedy's charm inscription yet again, "The most special part of me," and look at the charm in my hand, "lives forever in you."

It's a match.

Kennedy is Bella's baby.

My eyes shoot back to her face, taking in every feature closely….every tiny detail, and then I make the connection.

_She has her lips and her rosy cheeks._

"Oh my God, you're Bella's," I repeat out loud.

There isn't a doubt in my mind. The inscriptions on the charms match. I know that Bella kept one half; I have the other, two halves of a whole.

I reach up to her face and stroke her cheek lightly with the back of my index finger as a new realization dawns. Rose's words, _Kennedy's father is M.I.A._

"But I saw the two of them baby shopping," I utter my thoughts out loud. "Jake is your father." _Isn't he? Of course he is. She wouldn't keep something like this from me. Would she?_

I look at Kennedy more closely, trying to make sense of what the hell my mind's battling to register.

I lean down and scoop her up once again and stare into her eyes… green eyes. _Green. Oh God!_

She looks up at me innocently, confirming what my brain has been trying to communicate, what my heart is screaming at me.

With a shaky hand, I reach for the hood of her sweater and slide it back off of her head, revealing red shiny curls, kissed with streaks of gold.

"Oh God!" I gasp, running my hand gently through her hair.

"You're _mine! _You….you're my….you're my daughter," I cry out in a strangled voice.

"Rose, I'm such an idiot. I forgot to leave KC's diaper bag…" A familiar voice rings out then pauses as she notices me.

She stops dead in her tracks; the look on her face is one of sheer horror.

"KC," I repeat, "as in Kennedy Cullen," I state quietly.

"Edward! I…"

"Is that her name?" I stand up from the sofa and step closer to her. The tears I hadn't noticed before trickle down my jaw.

Her eyes dart back and forth in terror between the baby and me, as if I'm some sort of monster, planning to hurt her child.

"Answer me, Bella," I demand through clenched teeth.

Her mouth opens and closes repeatedly, brown eyes wide with fear. Her reaction, confirm my thinking.

"Oh my fucking God!"

"Her name is Kennedy Chr…"

"Don't you lie to me. She's mine!"

She jumps at the abrasiveness of my tone and instinctively reaches for the baby when she starts to cry.

"Shit," I whisper, "I'm sorry. Shh, I'm so sorry, sweetie," I soothe, rocking her in my arms.

"I wasn't going to lie to you, Edward. Please… Just…let me hold her. She's upset."

I blink at Bella and look down to see that Kennedy has started crying once more. "I won't hurt her." I look back at, Bella. She ….she likes me, don't you beautiful?"

I reach for her hand again, and she grabs a hold of my finger like she did earlier. "Do you see? She's okay," I sniff and smile at her as she stops crying.

"Kennedy, little Minnie…you're so perfect."

"Edward…"

"Tell me she's mine. I want to hear you say it, Bella."

"Edward, we should find some time to talk about this calmly and rat…"

"Don't say rational. I'm anything but rational at the moment, Bella. The only words I want to hear from you right now, are that she is mine. Nothing else."

After a moment of dead silence, I look back at Bella. She has tears streaming down her face.

"Oh no. You don't get to cry about this. Not this!" I hiss at her. I'm so angry at the moment, but I don't want to raise my voice, scaring Kennedy again.

"She's yours, Edward," her voice barely rises above a whisper.

And even though I knew as soon as I'd read the heart inscriptions and finally recognized the resemblance in her sweet, tiny face; hearing Bella utter the words nearly knocks the wind out of me.

"She's mine?"

"Yes," she sniffles.

"Oh God…Bella…why? Why didn't you tell me?" I'm in full-blown irrational mode now, and I know I have to put the baby down out of fear of scaring her to death.

I walk over to her stroller and carefully place her back inside. "There you go, sweetheart. It's okay."

"You're so good with her," Bella says as she looks on.

"Don't," I snap. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"I tried."

"You tried? When the hell did you try, Bella? Because it certainly didn't seem as if you were trying when you let me think that Jake was her father a couple of months back. So you tell me, _when?_"

"What the hell is going on in here? I can hear you guys bickering from outside the door!" Rose walks back into the office, hands perched on her hips, glaring at both of us.

"Are either one of you going to tell me why the two of you are arguing. You don't even know each other."

We grow quiet, staring at each other. I want to shake her and demand that she explains herself.

But more than that, I want to grab her in my arms and hold her… both of them. But my anger is winning out. The more I look at her and the baby, the more my emotions get the better of me.

"I asked you a question, Bella. When did you try to tell me about, Kennedy?"

"Edward, can we just do this later, please?" she pleads, tears flowing uncontrollably now.

"No, we cannot _do this_ later. I want to know why you didn't tell me about her. Now!" I yell, feeling my nostrils flare, and my chest heave.

"Okay, calm the hell down Edward, there's a baby in here. And why are you badgering, Bella about Kennedy you don't even know…."

I turn my back and pinch the bridge of my nose trying to regain some sort of control.

"Bella?" How do you know, Edward?" I hear her ask, then a moment later, as she gets no response, she gasps loudly.

"Oh my God! Tell me this isn't the same Edward, Bella…. the same Edward that seduced you last summer…"

"Seduced? " I whirl around, eyes wide.

"Tell me it's not the same Edward who hurt you repeatedly. Tell me that _this_ is not the _same_ Edward who ran out on you and your daughter! I will wring your neck, you selfish prick!" She seethes and starts in my direction, eyes blazing.

"Hold on! I didn't run out on anyone. I didn't know about the baby. She didn't tell me!"

"Oh God, Rose could you please take KC out of here for a while? I need to speak with Edward alone."

"No, she doesn't have to take her away. I won't raise my voice, I…I just want to know why, Bella?"

"I'm taking Kennedy out of here. She doesn't need to be in the middle of this mess. Bella, if he tries anything just call me. I'll have him tossed out on his holier than thou ass."

"Some fucking loyalty, Rosebud."

"My loyalty is to my best friend and my fatherless goddaughter, you jerk. Make no mistake about that, Edward. Come on, sweetie." She reaches for the stroller and wheels it through the office door, but not before glaring daggers at me as she closes it.

"Fatherless…shit!" I scoff and collapse on the sofa with my head buried in my hands. "How the fuck did this happen? I mumble into my palms. "How could you keep her away from me? I'm her father."

"I tried to tell you, Ed…"

"Don't you dare say that again! What the fuck do you mean, you tried?"

I'm back on my feet now, standing directly in front of her, staring into her beautiful guilt-ridden and tear stained face.

"You had nine months to tell me that you were pregnant with my child, and you never did! And you gave birth to my daughter some months ago, I assume. You just let me think that the baby was his! How could you do that to me, Bella?

"I'm sorry!"

"God! Do you hate me that much?"

"I don't hate you! I tried telling you again and again!" she screams, wiping at her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her jacket.

"I tried the night you came back from your business trip, but you were so…so…we just…we ended up in bed, and the next morning you were gone!"

I stand there shaking my head at her feeble attempts to explain why she kept this from me, kept my child from me.

"And then I tried telling you the night you got arrested, but you found reason to fight with me about Jake, and I just…I, I don't know, Edward I just thought it wasn't the right time! And then I tried to tell you the night I came to your house, and Tanya was standing there calling you her husband. I never thought in a million years that things would happen this way!"

Her voice breaks and trails off, and all the anger drains from my body. _ Fuck! I did this. This is my fault. We're all suffering, Bella, my daughter, even I am. Suffering because of the stupid mistakes I made. _

I go over all the times she's just mentioned in my head, and I realize that she did keep saying that she had something important to tell me.

The night I came back from Florida, I knew I had to end things with her, and all I wanted was to make love to her to ease the pain of letting her go.

It was the same the night when we had that huge fight about, Jake. She kept saying she had something important to tell me, but I'd just assumed it was about the kiss, and then I lost it, saying vile and hurtful things to her.

I was such an idiot.

All this time!

I broke her heart and she kept our child a secret. What the fuck is going on?

Dead silence; would be the way you'd describe the atmosphere if it wasn't for the faint sniffles coming from both of us.

Desperately needing to put some distance between us, I slowly walk over to the window and gaze out, not focusing on anything in particular.

"I missed her being born. How…was," I struggle to find words for what I'm trying to ask. Honestly I don't know what to say or what to ask. _How was the pregnancy? Were you in pain? Who helped you through it?_

And then my jealous thoughts kick in. _Jake. He was there with her, always there, trying to step in, step up, be whatever she needed. Fucking asshole._

I grip my hair roughly as I try once again to reign in my temper.

"Everything went okay, for the most part," she answers quietly. "Kennedy was born a tiny bit early, but she's fine."

"She was premature?" I turn to look at her.

She nods.

"Christ."

"Edward she's alright. You saw with your own two eyes. You've held her. She's perfect."

Anger.

"How old?"

"She was born at thirty-seven and a half weeks."

I whirl around and gape at her. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Edward, she's fine! You've seen her. Kennedy is a healthy and happy baby. She's tough. I think she gets it from you," she mutters.

"Un-fucking-believable," I scoff and turn my back to her once again.

I hear a huff and small shuffling steps from behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see her gathering up the rest of Kennedy's belongings.

_That's it? She's leaving like this? This is all she's going to say?_

"So that's it?" I ask irritably. "That's all I get? I just find out we have a daughter whom I know nothing about, and you're just going to walk away?"

"I have a job interview," she states simply as she slings the diaper-bag over her shoulder and exits the office.

"Fuck your job interview! You're going to talk to me right now, Bella," I assert my tone so she knows that her running away is unacceptable.

There are so many things I need to know and so many things that need to be said, more importantly, I need more time with my daughter.

"This may be a hard concept for a billionaire to understand, but I just can't blow off a potential career opportunity that will support me and Kennedy. I need that job." Her voice is laced with sarcasm. She storms to the elevator with me on her heels.

"Don't be condescending, Bella. I can support, Kennedy. I _will_ support her," I finish as I grab her arm, spinning her to face me.

"I don't want your money, Edward. I'm more than capable of taking care of my daughter."

At this point we're creating a floorshow, and everyone in the reception area and lobby are getting an ear and eyeful. Bella presses the elevator button erratically, trying her best to remove herself from the situation, but I'm having none of it.

"This isn't about money, and she's _our daughter_, Bella. _Ours!"_

"Let go of me, Edward. I have to go."

She snatches her arm away from me and enters the elevator.

_Oh no you don't, baby._

"I'm going with you."

"What? Are you insane? You can't come to a job interview with me! Get out of the elevator, Edward."

"No, I'm going with you, and I'm going to wait until you're done with that interview, and then you're going to give me some answers."

I press the button and wait for the doors to slide closed, while Bella scowls at me menacingly.

"Shit! I forgot to give Rose the damned diaper-bag again." She suddenly bursts out in alarm.

**_~~~~W~~~~_**

Two and half hours, I wait for two and a half fucking hours for Bella to come out of that interview.

Two of those hours I spend trying to wrap my head around the last year. The ramifications of my actions are a too high a price to pay…losing Bella, my daughter, being ball and chained to Tanya for the rest of my existence….too fucking much.

My mind is racing.

When I woke up this morning I had a nagging wife, and a stressful business. Now, I still have that plus one…a kid. Add in a frustrating mother of that kid, and you have a recipe for driving Edward the fuck insane. Someone is definitely looking down on me and laughing his ass off.

"You're still here?" She says it like it's more of an annoyance than a surprise.

"How did it go?" I ignore her animosity, and push my sunglasses back to rest on top of my head.

"I won't know anything until early next week."

I nod and check my watch. "You want to get some lunch?"

"I can't have lunch right now. I have to pick up, KC."

"That works out perfectly for me. Rose was my only meeting today. I'll come with you. _We_ can pick KC up, and _we_ can all have lunch together."

"Edward…"

"This is not a request, and I'm not arguing with you about it, Bella."

"You cannot force me to do anything. We are no longer a couple and…"

"Get in the car, or I'll put you in it," I interrupt, not wanting to hear this shit, yet again.

She concedes ungraciously and plops down onto the front seat. I walk around and climb in, looking over at her, her arms folded across her chest like a sulking child. At this moment, it's hard to believe that this woman just had a baby by the way she's acting.

"I guess this is a little preview of how Kennedy is going to act when she doesn't get her way, huh?" I state humorously and smirk. That gets me an eye-roll.

"Go to hell, Edward."

**_~~~~W~~~~_**

"Really, Bella…processed meat on a bun in a park…this is fucking ludicrous," I mumble as I unwrap the sodium filled heart attack in hot dog form.

"You wanted lunch, and this is all I have time to eat, with me having KC and all. She shrugs and bites into her lunch.

She's being facetious, and she knows it's pissing me off. I guess it's payback for practically attaching myself to her all day.

I peek at the offensive smelling, onion-filled hotdog and ball it up, tossing it in a nearby trashcan. "This is bullshit."

I walk over to KC who's sleeping soundly in her stroller, oblivious to my and her mother's bickering. She's truly an angel. I smile and rub her tummy.

_It must be wonderful to just sleep and not deal with bullshit._

"Are you breastfeeding her?"

"I am."

_More fucking sarcasm!_

"Even with school and everything else?" I continue unrelenting, trying to ignore her attitude.

"I pump."

_Fuck! Short one-word answers, this shit has to stop._

"Bella, you can stop acting like you're so damned mad at me. I know about her now, and I'm not going away. Deal with it."

"I don't want to fight with you around her, Edward."

"So let's not fight, then."

"You can't follow me around, badgering me all day, everyday either."

"Okay. I won't."

"Good," she replies nonchalantly and stands, readying herself to leave.

"Hold it…under one condition."

"And that would be?" Her annoyance is clear.

"I want to see KC. I don't want you to keep her from me. I've missed so much already. I need to be with her, Bella, please."

She pauses, looks into my eyes searchingly and sighs heavily. "Won't your wife have a problem with this? That is, assuming you'll tell her."

_And the kick to the nuts!_

"Bella," I warn.

"Fine, you can come and see her tomorrow. I have an early class 'til about ten, and then I'm home for the rest of the day. Come, if you like."

"I'll be there."

She nods and begins to unlock the stroller so she can leave. "Wait, I can take you and the baby home. It's not a problem."

"It's fine. It's not a far walk, and it helps her sleep," she says hurriedly as she pushes away from me.

"Thank you, Bella," I call out to her.

"KC naps at eleven, two and five. You have to catch her awake any time in between, because there are catnaps as well. I'll see you tomorrow."

I stand there, watching as the two most important women in my life disappear into the sunset, leaving me with the needling thought of how I'm going to fix this mess.

_I am going to fix this._

* * *

**_~~~~W~~~~_**


	30. Chapter 30, Mending Fences

**Chapter 30: Chapter 30**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight related ._**

**_BPOV_**

"Edward Cullen…Edward fucking Cullen, Bella?" Rose curses his name like it's the dirtiest word on the planet. "All this time, and you didn't ever tell me that you were having a romantic rendezvous across the world with Edward Cullen!"

"Rose I…we…things were just complicated and it seemed like we were more not together than together most of the time, so it seemed…I don't know…pointless," I explain as I line the baby's bottles up and fill them with milk. "I'm so nervous about him coming to see her today…"

I'll never get used to the fact that this is my life now, and strangely, it brings me the most joy, seeing her little face in the morning, washing tiny baby clothes, stroller walks in the park, and paediatrician visits are a part of who I am now, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

She's the most beautiful baby; I'm sure every mom thinks that about her baby, but KC truly is, and I can take none of the credit. She's Edward through and through. From her adorable flame coloured hair to her jade coloured eyes, she's the spitting image of him. She even has his smirk. I noticed it the day she was born, even if it wasn't really considered a smile. That day my whole world was turned upside down, and for the better.

**_Flashback_**

..**_.the day of the baby shower_**

"Ahhhh!" I wail in pain. My stomach is constricting and twisting in knots as I crumble to the floor.

"Bella! It's okay we're calling your doctor now," Angela scoots down beside me and rubs my back.

"No, I need to get to the hospital now, Ange. This baby is coming now!" I shriek as the next sharp pain hits me.

"What do you mean the baby's coming now? You're not due for another month! I hear Rose say hysterically from above me. "Your water hasn't even broken."

No sooner has she uttered the words than my shorts become drenched. I look at Angela, mouth wide open, and I realize that this is it, "Oh God."

"Well there goes your water theory, Rose," Angela says blandly.

"Oh God…um okay…tell us what to do, Bella."

"Get me to the car. We have to go now." I grimace in pain.

_Hold on baby. Stay in there until we get to the hospital._

"God, you're heavier than you look, Bella."

"Not now, Rose," I warn.

"Where the hell is that damned Jake when you need him? He's always around any other time, why not now?"

"You kicked him out, remember. You said men weren't supposed to attend baby showers, Rose." Angela glares at Rose.

"Well Peter's here, and he's a man, Angela." They both gingerly usher me to the door.

"But you didn't kick him out, Rose. Your rules."

"Peter's gay, dingbat."

"And your point is?"

"Ahhhhh!" I yell out, wincing in pain, ending their squabble.

"Shit! Don't worry, Bella we'll get you to the hospital in no time. We're taking your car, Angela."

"But my car is practically falling apart. We'll never make it there in time!"

"Well, we're not putting her in my car! She's leaking all over the place! No offense, Izzybee."

"Here, take my car, I have an SUV and she can stretch out on the back seat." Peter intervenes and hands Rose the keys.

"I think I should drive. You're acting a bit erratic at the moment, Rose. Give up the keys."

"Like hell. I'm a better driver, and I'll get Bella to the hospital in record speed."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Angela replies.

"Guys! _Please_…someone just drive. I don't care who, or you'll both be delivering this baby on the lawn!" I interject, gasping for air.

I can't believe this. Here I am in labour, enduring the most excruciating pain, and my two best friends are arguing over everything under the sun.

On the outside, I'm trying to keep a cool head and remember everything my OB/GYN has told me. Mentally I'm a wreck. I know it's too soon to have the baby.

"Ok, Bella let's get you in a seatbelt."

"Uhh, I don't think that would be the best idea right now, Ange." I battle to speak without screaming.

"Right. I'm freaking out here, Bella."

"It'll be alright. Just get me to the hospital."

Finally, we're on the road, with Rose and Angela quietly bickering, seemingly impervious to my wailing.

…**_twelve and a half hours later_**

"Inhale through your nose, and breathe slowly out of your mouth, Bella," the nurse instructs as I struggle to follow her instructions.

"Ahhhh, Oh God! How much longer? I can't take this!"

"Well, you're about two and a half centimeters dilated, which is good. Things are moving along smoothly for your first pregnancy," she answers sweetly.

_First? The woman is clearly delusional if she thinks that this isn't my first and last pregnancy. Pain like this should be shared between both parents. And right now, I'm wishing for painful things to happen to Edward Cullen._

"Things can't be going that smoothly. I'm not due for another five weeks," I breathe a bit easier as I watch the monitor, waiting for the next contraction to slam into me.

"Babies always surprise us, Bella," she chuckles, "but we're monitoring you and the baby closely. And so far, there are no signs of distress, and the baby's vitals look good. There's no reason for us to believe that this won't be a healthy delivery today. As a precaution, we're going to give you a hormone injection for the baby's lungs."

"Lungs, oh no," I gasp. "His…the baby's lungs are not developed? Of course they aren't. It's too soon!" My heart rate spikes as I panic.

"Bella, calm down. Everything is going to be fine. Like I said, your baby is being born early, but everything looks great. You're dilating at the right pace and the hormone injection is precautionary with all premature births. Now, you still have a while before you reach the final delivery stages. Try and relax and keep calm as much as you can, or as much as this little one will allow. Would you like something mild for pain?"

"No. I don't want anything."

My baby is being born prematurely, and I'm afraid of doing anything that may cause any further harm.

_I can do this._

"Okay, but I think you'll change your mind," she says as she adjusts the blankets to keep me warm. "I'll send your friends back in."

"Thank you." I keep staring at the monitor.

_Another contraction._

"Ughh! Oh God! "I gush out as Angela and Rose enter and rush to my side.

"Oh, Sweetie, will you reconsider taking something for the pain? Rose asks, the concern evident on her face.

"No! I can do this! I pause, letting the pain run its course before I can speak again. "Rose, can you find out where my dad is? I called him as soon as I got here. He should've been here by now."

"Sure, Sweetie I'll step out and see if I can locate him. Do you want me to bring you anything…a magazine or….ice chips? I hear ice chips are good during labour."

"Ice chips, please?"

"Okay, I'll be back in a few." She smooths my hair from my face.

I watch as Rose walks out, cellphone glued to ear as she gives the airline hell.

"Holy Christ, Ange, this is bad."

"How bad? She pulls up a chair and brushes my hair up into a bun. "I mean, on a scale from one to ten, how bad?"

"On a scale from one to ten, I would say I'm at an 'oh hell no', that's how bad."

"Yikes. Thanks for the warning," she replies humorously."

"Twelve hours, Ange, and counting. My body has been in nonstop agony for twelve hours, and there's more to come. Did you know that first time labour sometimes takes over twenty-four hours?"

"I've heard," she says soothingly, I'm sure for my benefit and sanity.

The room is momentarily filled with silence, nothing but the beeping and chirping of the monitor.

Angela's being unusually quiet, which means she's worrying or contemplating deeply about something, and I can guess what it is.

"You're freaking me out, Ange. Say something."

"I don't want to upset you."

"You won't."

"It can wait, honestly, Bella."

"This is about Edward, isn't it?"

"Bella I…this isn't the time or the place. You're getting ready to give birth to my little niece or nephew."

"And that makes you think about him, doesn't it?"

She sighs and gives up on trying to tame my unruly hair. She comes to sit on the side of my bed.

"I know he's been a mega douche, but I just can't help feeling for the guy. He doesn't even know about the baby, and if he did, I would bet my entire pay check that he would drop everything and be by your side, Bella."

"I know, but I can't rely on this baby to fix what's wrong between Edward and me, Ange. It's not fair to my baby."

"I agree, but is it fair for him or her to be without a father…even if he is a douchebag?" I can see her tense, bracing for my reaction.

I know that she's right, but I just don't know how to approach the situation at this point. Edward is married, and I've kept the fact that he's this baby's father a secret. No matter how much he's hurt me, I don't want my child to suffer.

"Yes, it is fair," Rose snaps. "And when I find out who this Edward character is, I'll castrate him myself. He won't be leaving anymore bundles of joy around without a father."

"Rose…" Angela tries to reason, but is waved off by a hand and an icy glare.

"I don't want to hear another word about that asshole. Here are your ice chips, Bella and your dad's plane landed about twenty minutes ago. He should be here shortly."

Angela's right, but all Rose can see, is me being pregnant and the father not being present. I haven't told her much about Edward, and she never got the chance to meet him. It's probably a good thing.

We sit in silence for the next couple of hours. Rose has her nose buried in a baby catalog and appears to be shopping online using her phone. Angela's curled up in a ball on the futon. I've been napping off and on, munching on ice chips and occasionally doing my routine pattern breathing when I get a contraction.

The nurse comes in periodically to check the monitors and see if I've dilated any further. I'm still at about two and a half centimeters.

_Its official, I'm going to be here for twenty-four hours or more._

I feel myself beginning to drift off again. I guess all I can do is rest.

* * *

I don't know how long I sleep. When my eyes flutter open, I look into my dad's smiling face.

"Dad? When.." I ask groggily.

"I told you I'd be here. Go back to sleep, Honey."

I smile back at him and happily obey him.

* * *

_Thirty-two hours. Of course it would take thirty-two hours for Edward Cullen's child to torture me. I know it's the pain of labor causing me to think this way, but it does really feel like torture._

"Push, Bella!" my dad commands.

"I can't!" I glare at him. "It hurts too bad!"

"One more push, Honey, you can do it…on the count of three." The doctor adds.

"I can't, I'm so tired! "I pant in exhaustion.

"You're doing great, Sweetheart. The baby's almost out." The nurse praises.

I nod lazily and squeeze my eyes tightly. Sweat trickles into them and they burn so badly that I can barely see.

"One…two…three!" They count in unison.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! Oh God! It hurts! Please…I need something for the pain!"

"The heads out! I can see it," The doctor announces. "Wow, you have a carrot top here, Bella?"

"What?" I ask wearily, not knowing what the hell he's on about.

"The baby has a head full of red hair," he chuckles. "Give me one last push, Bella…just one more…. on three."

They count again, and I push so hard that I think I'll pass out. I think I that I might well have for a moment or so. The next thing I hear is the baby screaming at the top of his lungs.

"She's gorgeous, Bella!"

"She?" I ask weakly.

"Yep, you have a daughter, and she's beautiful," the nurse replies and rubs the top of my drenched head.

_A girl...I have a daughter?_

"Is…is she okay? She's crying so much."

"She's fine. Those cries let us know that she's here, and she wants us to stop poking and prodding at her and to get her cleaned up and to her mother. You did amazingly well, Bella."

"Where's my dad?"

"Well, when you drifted off for a minute or so, he was so excited that he shot out of the room tell your friends that he had a granddaughter.

"When can I see her?"

"The NICU team is just looking her over to make sure everything has developed properly and that there are no concerns with her health. You should be able to see her shortly.

It's so weird. After all those months of carrying around another person inside of me and all the pain of bringing her into this world, all I can think of now is seeing her, the pain all but forgotten.

I have a baby…a daughter. It feels unreal, until I see the nurse bringing her over to me, wrapped snuggly in a blanket.

"She passed with flying colours, Bella," the nurse whispers, "meet your daughter." She places her carefully into my arms.

I look down into her tiny little face and can't contain the tears.

"Wow." I feel overwhelmed by emotion and at a loss for words. "You are just…wow," I press my lips gently to her forehead.

"Wow is right," My dad announces as he enters the room and walks over to the bed. "You did it, kid."

"She's awesome isn't she, Dad?"

"She sure is." He strokes her head lightly, "just like her mom."

"Just like her Pop-Pop," I giggle. "God, I'm so worn out."

On cue, the nurse comes in to take my baby back to the nursery.

"It's time for this little one to be vaccinated, primped and pampered."

"Awww, you have to take her so soon?" I whine.

"I know, I'm sorry, but she'll be back before you know it. Feeding time is just around the corner," she sings. "Come on, Sweetheart," she coos and lift her from my arms.

"Kennedy. I'm naming her Kennedy."

"Perfect choice for a perfect little girl," she agrees.

_Perfect._

**_End of Flashback_**

"I just don't get it, Bella. I wish you had told me that the guy you were seeing was Edward Cullen, then I could've warned you."

"I probably would not have listened anyway."

"Well, I'll stay here with you when he comes to see her if you want the support and the aid of my stiletto heel."

What are the odds that my best friend and the father of my child were study buddies in college? _This world is just too small._

I smile warmly and shake my head at her brashness.

The baby monitor on the table alerts me to KC starting to cry. I instantly dry my hands on a dishtowel and more to get her.

"I'll get her. You have to be in class in the next thirty minutes." Rose interrupts me and leaves.

Edward is coming by today to spend time with KC for the first time, and I honestly have no clue of what to expect from him.

Devastation is an understatement when describing his reaction when he found about his daughter yesterday. I knew it was wrong of me to keep the truth from him. Seeing him with her, confirmed that fact.

He's already missed her birth and he's pissed off about it. It's time for him to get to know his daughter and be a part of her life. So why do I feel so nervous about him seeing her today?

"Here's mommy, Sweetie. Say, 'mommy I'm starving'," Rose babbles and coos as she returns with my hungry baby.

"Are you ready for you morning feeding, Sweet-pea?"

"She's getting so big already."

"She's only a month old, Bella," she scoffs

"I know, but she's growing up too fast. Don't get me wrong I can't wait till she's running around, but right now, I want her to stay just like this."

"Man, you are such a mother," she giggles.

"Shit!"

"Nice language in front of the baby, Bella."

"I just realized that I have to be at class in fifteen minutes."

'Duh."

"But this is a crucial time in the day for me to be breastfeeding her, Rose. It's important!"

"It's one day and one feeding. You pumped didn't you?"

"Yes, but…"

"Go to class, I will feed KC, and you can make up your bonding with her when you get back." She takes my baby from my arms and shoos me out of the kitchen and out of the door.

"Rose!"

"Go."

"At least let me kiss her goodbye!"

"Here KC, say bye to momma."

I lean down and kiss her twice on her warm, little chubby cheek and glare at Rose for making me seem like a nut case.

"Bye, baby," I run my hand over her soft hair before jumping in my truck and heading off to class.

**_EPOV_**

_I have a daughter._

_I have a daughter._

_I have a daughter._

I keep repeating it in my head like a mantra. I can't believe it.

I've been in my office since I watched them walk away from me.

_Kennedy and Bella._

I've not even thought of leaving or attempted to go anywhere near my home or Tanya.

I can't sleep. Hell I don't want to.

My brain is a jumbled mess of anger, fear, happiness, confusion and overwhelming elation.

_I have a daughter._

The sun is beginning to rise, alerting me that a new day us dawning.

_I have a daughter._

Her face is imprinted on my mind. Her wonderful smell still clings to the clothing I've slept in…innocence...Kennedy.

"I have a daughter," I chuckle to myself. "She's absolutely awesome." I shake my head as I remember our interaction yesterday.

I have to make this right for her more than anything.

_But how?_

There are so many things I have to consider, but right now all I can think about is her.

Bella's invited me to come visit her today, and although I'm grateful and excited about seeing my daughter and getting to spend time with her, I know it won't be enough. I need to be with her. I need to be with both of them…permanently.

"Ughhhh," I growl and bury my face in my hands. "This is one fine mess you got yourself into Cullen."

After I berate myself for I don't know how long, I check my watch and realize that I have a few errands to run before going over to Bella's.

I make a quick dash for the closet to grab some clean clothing and head to the shower.

_Just a couple more hours and then I get to see her again. _

_Until I see both of them._

I left my office to take care of some random business errands. So how in the hell I've ended up in a baby store spending obscene amounts of money is beyond me.

_I have a daughter._

_Oh, right…that's how._

I want to get Kennedy a present, but I'm unsure of what to buy.

The clerk reminds me when I ask for help, that she's an infant so she can't really play with toys.

I tell her how old she is, and she points me in the direction of age appropriate things.

I have no fucking clue what I'm doing. By the time, I've settled on one thing to take with me today, I have about thirty other things being put on my AMEX cad and being delivered to my office later.

I ask that the items be boxed up and sent from an anonymous address. I want to keep things under wraps until I've had a chance to tell my family and Tanya about Kennedy.

The way everyone just walks in and out of my office at their own leisure, there's bound to be drama if they discover these things before I'm ready to deal with it.

I just want to spend a little time with my daughter first, before I have to share the news.

"Would you like me to have this item wrapped as well, Mr. Cullen?" The clerk points to the pink stuffed toy I've chosen to take as a present today. It's soft and pink and doesn't really look like any elephant that I'd ever seen.

"This is so adorable. It plays a lullaby as well." She winds the toy and a sweet melody flows.

"It's perfect, and no, thank you, I won't be needing it wrapped," I answer with a smile.

As I leave the store, I pull out my phone and call my receptionist.

"Lauren, I'm expecting a delivery by the end of the day. Let the delivery guy into my office and after that _no _one is to enter my office at all. Am I clear? Thanks, Lauren. No, I won't be back in the office today and forward all of my calls to voice-mail…I'll call her later."

I end the call after Lauren tells me that Tanya has been badgering her about my whereabouts all morning.

I'd noticed several missed calls and voice-mails. The timing ranged from last night up to just a minute ago.

Although I really do not want to speak to her, I decide to call now, because I want nothing interrupting my time with my daughter.

She picks up on the first ring and immediately starts ranting.

"**_Where the hell are you, Edward? Do you know that you've had me worried sick?"_**

"I had a late night at work."

"**_You couldn't call to tell me that?"_**

"You married a CEO, Tanya. We pull all-nighter's all the time, besides, I don't owe you any kind of explanation."

"**_You're my husband. It's common courtesy to call. I thought you were lying in a ditch somewhere."_**

"Cut the dramatics. I'm fine. Is there anything else you wanted?"

"**_When will you be home?"_**

"Late. Don't wait up."

I clearly hear her stomp her foot, and she hangs up on me, obviously pissed.

_Whatever…I'll deal with her later._

I have one more call to make, and then I'm heading over to, Bella's.

"Garrett, this is Edward. I need you to stop by my office tomorrow. I want to discuss a couple of legal matters with you, and I don't want to get into it over the phone. I'll be in meetings all morning, but I'm free after lunch...see you then."

* * *

I arrive at Bella's.

_Finally._

My nerves are going haywire, and I don't understand why.

I sit in the car in front of the apartment trying to get myself under control.

I've already held the baby, so I don't' know what my problem is.

After a few more deep breaths, I reach over to the passenger seat and collect the gift bag.

By the time I reach the front door, a new round of nerves has kicked in.

_What if Bella changes her mind about letting me see her?_

_What if what I've done is beyond being repaired?_

_What if.._

My thoughts are cut off as the door is violently swung open, and fury in the form of a leggy blonde stares back at me.

"Rosebud?"

"Asshole."

"Rose, "Bella warns as she appears behind her and invites me in.

Entering the apartment presents a challenge as I try to squeeze by Bella's two-legged guard dog.

"Are you going to let me in, Rose?" I ask, annoyed. She steps aside slowly and cautiously, watching me like a hawk.

_What the fuck does she think I'm going to do? Knock Bella over the head and kidnap my own child?_

"I didn't know you'd be here, Rosie?"

"I'm always _here,_ and don't call me Rosie."

I raise my palms in defence, "I'm sorry. I know how much you hate it."

"Um, Edward, come in and have a seat. KC is napping, but I'll wake her for a feeding soon." Bella tries calming the situation as she notices Rose about to start again.

"You told me she'd be sleeping for most of the day. I have to get used to that," I say cordially.

"That's what infants do." She gives me a weak smile.

Rose is still standing in the middle of the living room with her hands resting on her hips, waiting for her next opportunity to lash out, no doubt. This doesn't go unnoticed.

"I have to go into the kitchen to pump. Do you two think you can play nicely till I'm done?"

"I'm good." I reply immediately. "Rosebud?" I turn to Rose, but get nothing in response.

"Behave you two," Bella warns a final time before heading into the kitchen.

The moment she leaves the room, it starts…we argue in whispered tones.

"Who the hell do you think you are, waltzing in here like you've never left?"

"Why the hell are you so pissed with me? I just found out that I'm a father less than twenty-four hours ago."

"You are unbelievable! You haven't been able to tame that dick of yours since your freshmen year in college, and God only knows how long before that. I'm surprised you don't have five or six illegitimate children floating around the city of Chicago!" She waves a hand around the room.

"Look Rose, I know I've handled things badly, but I'm here now to make up for that. I'm going to be a father to my daughter."

"How? By buying her expensive gifts?" she spits, snatching the bag from my hand and gesturing to it. "You have no idea how to be a father."

"And you do?" I scoff.

"I know a whole hell of a lot more than you do, Edward."

"Well, you're playing the protective father role right now. Tell me Rosie, when did you grow a dick?"

"Edward! Bella gasps as she enters the room. Of course she would hear me tearing into her best friend.

_Damn it!_

"I'm sorry," I apologize immediately, not wanting to start things off this way. I understand why Rose is upset, but we can't continue like this, and I don't want Bella to cancel my visit because I'm unable to control my temper.

"Edward, you…"

"I get it, Bella, and I am sorry, I just…." I sigh heavily and turn to Rose, who looks like she's ready for round three. "Rose, I'm sorry. I just want a chance. Please?" I turn back to look at Bella.

"Are you going to be okay, Bella?" she asks while glaring at me.

"Yeah, I'll call you later, Rose."

_Thank God._

"Don't fuck this up," she leans in and whispers to me before she sashays out of the front door.

_Wasn't planning on it, Rosebud._

Once the door shuts, the room goes awkwardly quiet. _Maybe Rose leaving was a bad idea._

I stand in the room, shifting from foot to foot and occasionally running my hand through my hair, while Bella is looking as nervous as ever.

"Hi," I break the silence.

"Hi." She gives me a shy smile.

"KC's bottle?"

_What a fucking genius you are, Cullen!_

"Uh, yeah." She twists the full bottle in her hands agitatedly.

I nod and scratch the back of my neck.

_This is going perfectly. She hasn't thrown me out yet._

"You bought her a present?" She points to the bag on her coffee table.

"Oh, um…yeah…I–I wanted to get her something, but I didn't have any idea of what to get a baby," I ramble.

I grab the bag off of the table and pull the elephant out. I hold it up and a warm smile spreads across her face.

I remember the lullaby, and I wind it up so it plays. "I thought about calling you to ask what to buy her…I hope this is okay."

"It's adorable." She closes the distance between us and reaches out to take the toy from my hand. "She'll love the lullaby."

She smiles, looking at it for a couple of minutes before she leaves the room to get KC.

_This is it. I'm going to see her again. God, has she changed much overnight? They say babies change every day. Has she? Will I notice? Will she remember me?_

I'm freaking out again. I pace the floor a bit before I finally sit.

I look down and notice that I'm unconsciously tapping my foot and fiddling with my fingers. _God, I'm such a mess_. I scan the room and notice how different it looks to the last time I'd been here.

Baby things are neatly arranged all over the apartment. Boxes of diapers and baby toiletries that are waiting to be put away, stacked in the corner.

My eyes pan over to the next corner and settle on items for Sadie. Huge bags of dry dog food and cases of canned food are piled up.

_Christ, I nearly forgot that Bella has a dog. How the hell is she living here? There's not enough room for her, the baby, the dog and her roommate!_

I jump up from the couch and start pacing again, rambling lowly to myself.

"This is ridiculous. I have to fix this. There's no goddamned way they are staying in this little ass apartment. She'll fight me on this. I know it. She's so goddamned stubborn. If I have to drag her out of here by her hair, I will."

I'm fuming and probably overreacting. I know this. There's absolutely no way that I can just come in here and demand that Bella moves out. I have to be smart about this, figure out a way to convince her to find a better place to live, but subtly.

I spin around when I hear a step creek, and see Bella descending the stairs. I watch as she carefully takes one step at a time, and finally she makes it to the bottom with KC in her arms.

"She's awake," she announces and walks over to me.

All thoughts of '_operation, get Bella and KC the hell out of this tiny place'_ are put on the backburner when I see my baby girl's face.

"Would you like to hold her?" She asks as she notices me staring down at KC with the goofiest grin on my face.

"Yes…please," I answer hesitantly and reach for her.

"Be careful. Watch her head. Do you have her?"

"I have her. Hey, Sweetheart."

_Wow, she smells the same._

She's trying to stuff her entire little fist into her mouth while I talk to her…she pays me no attention at all. "Looks like someone's hungry," I chuckle and look at, Bella. "She's so…wow!"

"I know. I said the same thing when she was born." She instantly looks like she regrets it. "I'm sorry."

"I know. It's alright." It's not entirely the truth, but at this moment, everything seems to be right with the world.

KC gets frustrated with trying to cram her hand in her mouth and starts to cry.

"She's hungry. I'll just feed her, and she'll be fine afterwards."

"Okay, here Honey, go to Mommy." I pass her back to Bella and watch as she sits on the sofa and starts to nurse our daughter.

As I look on, I realize that I've never been more in love with her. Bella and I have a child together

"You're staring."

"You're beautiful."

"Edward…"

"Both of you."

"Well, I will agree that Kennedy is."

"Why don't you ever see yourself properly, Bella?" I walk over and sit down beside her. "You're a mother now. God, look at you. Look at her." We both look down at our daughter quietly feeding.

"This right here is the most beautiful sight in the world."

* * *

I leave Bella's after a couple more hours of holding KC and watching her sleep. It's all she does…eat, sleep and dirty up diapers. I don't care though. I'm in love with her and her mother. They own me. Having to leave them is killing me inside, and I have to do something to rectify it.

Bella's given me a picture to keep with me. I haven't taken my eyes off it since I've made it back to my office. She said I could see her anytime I wanted, but I want more. I won't be satisfied until we're all together, living under one roof as a family. They are my life now.

"What the hell did you buy, man? You do have a home you could've had this shit delivered to. What's in these boxes?" James asks as he steps into my office. I don't give him a response. I just keep studying Kennedy's picture with a smile on my face.

_Look at those eyes._

"What do you have there? Whose picture is that?" He peeks over my desk, trying to look at the photo.

"Her name's Kennedy." I'm still smiling. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

"Uhh, yeah, but why are you obsessing over a photo of someone's kid?"

"She's _my_ kid."

"Excuse me, what did you say?"

"She's my daughter…mine… and Bella's."

"The hell?"

I really don't feel like going into the details of what, how, when and why, because honestly, I don't know where or how to begin.

"It's a long story, but this little sweetheart is the end result of it."

"You and Bella have a baby?"

I nod and smile, allowing him to take the picture from my fingers.

"I'm an uncle? Wow! She's your twin, man!"

"I know! It's like…amazing."

"Dude…how did this happen, I mean I know how, but she didn't tell you?"

"Like I said long story, and I could use a beer, so let's get the hell out of here, and I'll tell you all about it."

"Okay, but you're buying."

* * *

"You mean to tell me that she knew the baby was yours and she didn't tell you? Man that's…." he shakes his head in exasperation.

"Don't blame Bella," I interject, "this is all my fault."

I take a swig of my beer that's beginning to go flat.

_How long have I been nursing this thing, anyway?_

"I did this," I say more to myself.

"I know you've been an ass about this entire situation, but you and Bella both share the blame. She had no right to keep your kid from you…just my opinion." He shrugs in resignation.

I know he's right about her not telling me, but I'm so tired of fighting with Bella. I just want for things to go back to the way they were; with the exception of KC, the newest addition to our lives. She's the one thing that binds us together forever, and there is nothing anyone can do about that.

"This is…wow…when are you telling Mom and Dad about the baby?" He sighs.

"I haven't decided exactly when, but soon," I answer tiredly.

"Esme's going to go bat-shit," he chuckles sarcastically.

"She can. She'll get over it."

"Well, I for one can't wait to spoil my niece. When do I get to meet her?"

"I'm going to see her tomorrow. I don't think Bella is quite ready to let me take her on my own, but I'll see how things go. You can come with me, if you'd like. I don't think she'd mind."

"I don't know..." He hesitates, a small frown on his face. "You're just getting to know your daughter. You should have some time alone with her first, before the entire family intrudes on your time with her."

"True," I agree, "but I just want to show her off! She's so awesome, man. I can't wait until you guys see her." I can no longer contain my exuberance.

"Damn. I didn't to see you two here. Don't you have a corporate takeover to plan or something?" Emmett announces his presence loudly.

"Em, man what's up?" James greets and bumps fists with him.

"Women, that's what's up," he shakes his head.

"You too, huh? I laugh and mimic his head-shake.

"Hey, bartender, can we get another beer down here," James yells as Emmett pulls up a stool and immediately starts to spill his guts about his troubles.

"What the hell is with women anyway?" He scoffs.

"Rosebud problems?" I snicker.

"I went to pick her up from work, and she started rambling about babies and the nerve of some assholes and then yelled at me about being a dick. I have no clue what the hell her problem is."

I laugh, realizing that he's taking the brunt of my earlier run in with Rose.

"Rosebud, now there's a hot woman," James adds and reaches for the darts on the bar counter. He launches one at the dartboard.

"Hey watch it, Cullen. Stay away from, Rose or I'll…"

"You'll what, Em…kick my ass? You never could before, and you never will," James cuts him off with a laugh.

"That's it. I'm sick of you pretty-boy Cullens thinking you're God's gift to everything." He jumps up from his seat, playfully putting James in a headlock.

I shake my head and look on as they wrestle at the back of the bar. They behave this way every time we get together. It almost always ends in some kind of macho challenge.

Once they settle their juvenile sparring match, they finally decide to take it out on the dartboard…best three out of five. Me? I just continue to watch them, often letting my mind wander to Bella and Kennedy. I miss them.

_Man, I'm turning into such a pussy._

"Hey guys, I have a couple more beers for you, courtesy of those young ladies at the other end of the bar," the bartender calls and places a round of beers in front of me. James and Emmett walk over, and we all lean our heads over, peering down the bar at three very attractive women, who raise their glasses to us.

"Damn!" James whispers with enthusiasm.

"Shit!" Emmett whispers with disappointment. "I'm tied down."

"I'm married, and I'm in love with my ex-girlfriend who is the mother of my newly born daughter." I scoff and down my beer.

"Ouch," Emmett screws his face up at my statement. "Well played."

"Well, I'm definitely single. Later losers." James salutes us as he heads down to the other end of the bar,

"Women," Emmett and I snort in unison.

.

.

.

The next morning, I'm catching up on some paper work when Lauren calls me to let me know that my lawyer is here.

After discussing the important matters that I need him to handle, I sign a few papers, and we conclude the meeting.

"You should be hearing from me in the next couple of days, Edward."

"Thanks, Garrett." I get up and shake his hand.

"Good luck with the baby. Enjoy her, she's a little angel."

"I will and thank you. Talk to you soon."

I wait for Garrett to leave and sit back behind my desk. I pull out my cell to call Bella to find out when would be an appropriate time for me to come by, but the vicious slamming of my office door halts me.

Bella looks furious as hell. Her eyebrows are knitted together angrily, her lips pursed tightly.

"Hey, I was just about to call you." I end the call. "What's wrong?" I get up and walk over to her.

And suddenly, she lunges at me.

"You son of a bitch!"

"Whoa! What the hell his wrong with you, Bella?" I stop her violent outburst by gripping her by both arms.

"What the hell is wrong with _you,_ Edward? I should have known that if I tried to be civil to you that it would come back to bite me in the ass. "

"What are you talking about?" I'm totally confused.

"Trust, that's what I'm talking about," she yells angrily, tearing herself out of my grasp. "I trusted you again, and _again_ you make me regret that I did."

"Bella, I…"

"But this time, I will _not _let you hurt me or my daughter. You get some bastard lawyer on your payroll to try and take my daughter away from me, and I will destroy you, Edward. Believe me, I can do it. I'll make sure that you never see KC again!"

"Wha… Bella wait!"

But I'm too late. She's already out of the door, leaving me gaping and perplexed.

_What the hell just happened here?_

**_~~~~~~~~W~~~~~~~_**


	31. Chapter 31, Minnie,Brown Eyes

**Chapter 31: **

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to Twilight. I do, however, own the storyline for Wedlocked. _**

**_EPOV_**

_What the hell just happened?_ I'm still tying to process the events of the last few minutes.

_Everything seemed fine when I left her yesterday. So why the attitude? Hell, fuck the attitude, why the hell is she threatening to keep KC away from me?_

"Fuck this," I lash out loud, grabbing my phone and keys from my desk.

I stop by Lauren's desk to let her know to cancel any other meetings for the day.

"Mr. Cullen, I'm so sorry." she rambles. "I tried to tell Ms. Swan you were in a meeting with your lawyer, but she insisted on seeing you.

Then it dawns on me.

_Shit! She overheard Garrett and me, and she thinks I'm trying to get custody of KC!_

"Shit!" I mumble through my hand as I scrub my face.

"Mr. Cullen I'm sorry. It won't happen again!"

"It's alright, Lauren. It's not your fault. Cancel my meetings for the rest of the day. I'll be out of the office," I rush out, already walking briskly to the elevator. I hope that I'll be able to catch Bella before she gets too far.

"But your mother is coming by to discuss…"

"Tell her I'll call her later," I call out as the elevator doors close.

_Fuck! This elevator is taking way too long._

"Fucking hurry up!"

Finally the doors open and I rush through the front doors of the building, looking around frantically. I heave a sigh of relief when I see her sitting in the truck, face buried in her hands.

She looks like she's crying.

"Bella?" I say softly as I approach.

"Go away, Edward. Stay away from me."

"Bella…"

She lifts her head and turns to face me, tears streaming down her face.

_Damnit!_

"I trusted you, Edward. I wanted you to be a part of KC's life. How could you do this to me…to her?"

"Bella…"

"No! You can't take her away from me. I…I don't have money for a hotshot lawyer, but–but I will fight you, Edward Cullen!" she stammers, cutting me off. "And if you think…"

"Bella, stop!" I interject, half amused and half heart broken. "I would _neve_r take her away from you!"

"You're lying! I heard you and that– that _lawyer_ talking!"

"Okay, listen to me. Get out of the truck, right now."

She wipes her nose quickly with the back of her hand and blinks at me, ready to snap again, but this time I halt her protest.

"Get out of the truck. I want to explain something to you." I open the door for her to exit, and she slowly alights from the vehicle.

She sniffles and wipes at her nose again.

"Oh my God, you beautiful crazy woman! What am I going to do with you, huh?" I reach up and gently brush her cheek with the pad of my thumb, capturing one stray tear.

"What you snooped in on, was not me trying to take KC away from you."

She opens her mouth to speak, but I quickly stop her, "yes I said snoop." I raise my eyebrows at her, silently challenging her to deny it.

"But he said here are the papers for you to sign and good luck with the baby," She counters, and I shake my head at her disbelievingly.

"Those papers are about KC…"

I don't mention that there are also documents to petition for an annulment of my marriage to Tanya. I'll save that for another time. It's too soon.

She angrily turns to walk away from me, not letting me finish, but I wrap my hand around her wrist to pull her back

"As I was saying, the papers are about KC. They're papers I've had drawn up for a trust."

"A trust?" She asks skeptically, but her voice softens.

"As in a trust fund."

A look of confusion, mixed with embarrassment slowly creeps over face when she realizes she that might have been overreacting.

"Bella, I…." I exhale and start again. "I want…I had the papers drawn up because I want her to have a secure future and I would be totally lying if I said that's all I want."

"What do you mean?"

"She's my daughter. My firstborn. I'm going to spoil her rotten!" I laugh happily. "And I knew you would try and fight me on it, so I just did it, okay. Bella, please let me do this for her?"

She dips her head, trying to hold back a smile. I know she wants to say 'absolutely not', but I'm prepared to beg.

"You could've told me, you know." She looks up at me through her lashes.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Edward," she warns.

"Bella," I warn back.

"We can talk about it when you come to see your daughter today," she sighs.

"Your car or mine?" I ask with a wide grin.

"Um, yours. My truck broke down in your parking lot, "she replies with a sheepish smirk.

_First thing on my 'to do' list, buy Bella a new car._

* * *

"Man! Does she always eat this much?" I'm amazed as I watch my daughter drain the bottle I'm holding.

"It's just a little over four ounces," Bella adds as she folds KC's laundry. "She'll probably conk out as soon as she's done."

Sure enough, her eyes start to droop as her suckling finally slackens.

Bella shows me how to rest her on my shoulder and burp her. And once she's convinced that I won't screw it up royally, she leaves us alone and goes into the kitchen to feed Sadie. It gives me father/daughter time to promise KC the world, without her mother objecting.

"I'm going to fix this, Sweetie. I promise." I walk around, rubbing her back gently, waiting for her to burp. "You, your mother and I are going to be together as a family. I swear it."

KC is sleeping soundly, she's burped and contentedly resting on my chest as I walk into the kitchen to let Bella know.

"All burped and napping," I whisper.

"I see. You're a natural. Do you want to settle her down?" She's pulling various contents out of the fridge to make sandwiches.

"I'm so in love with her, Bella," I say proudly. She looks up at me and just smiles as I leave to settle KC in the bedroom.

When I return, Bella has the bread and various fillings spread out on the counter.

"I'm making sandwiches. Do you want to stay for dinner?" She surprises me. I know she's trying her best to co-exist with me for the sake of our child, but for some reason, it just feels like old times.

"Sandwiches?" I grin at her.

"Yes, sandwiches, Edward. We can't always eat in five star restaurants, Mister Bourgeois Cullen."

"Bourgeois? Moi?" She rolls her eyes and starts placing meat on the bread. "And it just so happens that we can eat in five star restaurants whenever _we_ want. Just say the word." I hold out my hands in an offering.

"The_ word_ is no, Edward."

_I knew that would be her answer, but honestly if she had said yes, I would've jumped all over the chance to take her out to a nice place to eat. _

_It's too soon, though. And actually, how the hell would it look, me taking Bella to dinner and still being married to Tanya?_

"Mayo or mustard, Edward?" She's looking at me as if she's asked this question more than once. Apparently, I've been wrapped up in my own thoughts so much that I missed it.

I know I can't give give her anything or make another promise to her or my daughter, until I tell my family and Tanya.

"Bella, I'm not going to be able to stay for dinner," I say regretfully. "I have…" I pause to think carefully about my next words. "I have something important to take care of."

"Oh," she replies sullenly.

I_s she hurt because I'm not staying?_

"As much as I want to," I add quickly, trying to make her understand that I want nothing more than to stay. She looks up at me, her expression changing somewhat.

"Rain check?" She asks, reading my thoughts exactly.

"Soon," I reply with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. " Will you kiss KC goodnight for me?"

"Of course."

I fight the urge to reach out and stroke her cheek. Instead, I pick up the sandwich she's just made and take a huge bite.

"You're insane," she laughs.

"This is so good," I mumble with my jaw stuffed. "I'll call you later.

I leave with images of Bella smiling and humorously shaking her head at me.

_Soon, baby. I promise._

* * *

I arrive at my parents soon after calling from the car. I've told them that I needed to discuss something important. I also asked them to make sure that Alice and James are present.

James already knows about KC, but I know that I'd need him for moral support; for my mother, not for me. I can already envision her hysterics, and I haven't even walked through the door yet.

They're all seated in the family room, waiting. The look on their faces and my father's pacing tells me that I've gone about this the wrong way.

_Christ, do they think I'm going to tell them I have six months to live?_

As soon as they notice me walking through the foyer, my mother's off the sofa and at my side.

"Sweetheart, are you alright? What's going on?"

"Calm down, Mom. I'm fine." I kiss her on the cheek.

"Son?" My father looks at me worriedly.

"Well, the gang's all here," I chuckle. " Hey, Smidgy." I walk over to peck her on the forehead. "Dad." I give him a quick hug.

"Why the fuck are you so loving today?" James quips.

"Hey! Watch your mouth," my mother snaps.

"You already know why I'm in a good mood, James. Now it's time for me to share the news with everyone."

"In that case, I think we should get drunk. Real drunk, real fast," he says blandly and walks toward the bar.

"Shut up, James." I glare at him.

"Especially you, Mom. Martini?"

"What is this about, Edward?" she ignores my brother's sarcasm.

"There's no simple way to put this, so I'm just going to say it."

I watch as their faces morph into confusion.

"There's going to be an addition to the family," I announce proudly.

"Oh my God." Alice shakes her head, showing her distaste.

"A baby?" My mother's eyes widen, and she screeches in delight. "Finally! Carlisle did you hear that, Tanya and Edward are having a baby! We're going to be grandparents!"

"Wow, congratulations, son!" My father grabs me in a huge bearhug.

I scrunch my face as I make eye contact with James over my fathers' shoulder. He responds by letting out an obnoxious, boisterous laugh. I'll kill him later.

"Hold on, hold on a minute! Tanya and I aren't having a baby."

"I'm confused," my mother says as her smile fades, "you said there was going to be an addition to the family. Doesn't that mean a baby?"

"Yeah, me and Bella's baby."

"What?" she and my sister shout in unison.

"Hellooooo, you and Bella aren't together any longer, Edward. You're married to Tanya remember? The boy has obviously gone off the deep end." My sister mocks.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Smidge. I can assure you, I am completely sane. Bella and I have a daughter. She's a month old. Her name is Kennedy…KC."

The room is suddenly silent as my mother, father and sister all gape at me, their expressions begging for an explanation.

The silence is finally broken as I say nothing… low exclamations of 'oh my God' and 'shit' fill the air before voices are raised.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm not kidding, Mom."

"Edward? I…I don't understand. You have a daughter, and she's a month old, _and_ you never told us about her? How can that be?" My father asks, perplexed.

"I just found out about KC, Dad. Bella…." I pause. "She only just told me about her."

"You mean she kept her from you?" Alice amends.

"It's…. complicated, Smidge."

"What the hell does that mean? Either she did or she didn't."

"She…she wanted to tell me. She tried…."

"What the hell do you mean she tried?"

"Al…"

"She's a liar," my mother interjects furiously. "I don't know why she's using that poor kid to sucker you in, but that baby isn't yours, Edward."

"Wow, I can't believe you just said that! KC is my daughter, and maybe, just maybe _we _all would have known from the beginning if your and Tanya's meddling hadn't pushed me into making rash decisions, causing Bella to make even more rash ones."

"What rash decisions? My father asks.

"Oh that's right, you don't know. Well, allow me to enlighten you. Tanya dug up some information on Bella's father and used it to blackmail me into marrying her, and Mom knew about it," I say as if I'm reporting the weather.

"Is this true, Esme? He turns to my mother. She opens her mouth to either protest or at least make an attempt to, and he immediately cuts her off. "Of course it's true. I can't believe this. I kept racking my brain trying to understand why you would marry Tanya after seeing how you were with Bella. I knew you loved her."

"Love. I _love_ her, present tense. It hasn't changed, and now we have a child together, and I love her ten times as much."

My father nods and smiles at me. "It's amazing isn't it? It's like no other love you've ever experienced."

I nod. He 's right. He looks at Alice and me then his gaze moves to James and lingers on him. And I finally understand. Children are the most important things to him, even though one of us isn't biologically his.

"When do we get to meet her?" He pats my shoulder.

"This is ridiculous! That girl's father is a police Chief, and he stole a ton of money that he confiscated in a drug raid. Do you think she isn't above lying about a kid to get her hands on our wealth? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Edward."

"God, I hope that isn't true, Mother." I shoot her a scathing look.

"You know nothing about Bella's father, or her for that matter. He took that money because after paying for Bella's mother medical expenses, he had nothing left to honor her dying wish. It was wrong, but I understand why he did it."

"He stole drug money?" Alice gasps.

"To put Bella through veterinary school," I clarify, feeling the need to defend Charlie's actions.

"It doesn't matter. He's still a thief, and she's still a gold-digging liar. Carlisle, I cannot believe you're falling for all of this!"

"SHUT. UP!" I yell and pinch the bridge of my nose to calm down.

"Enough, Esme. I made this mistake before, and I won't make it again. And if you're smart, you will stop alienating our children. One day, you're going to lose them." My father berates my mother in his calm voice.

"Edward, I hope we can get to meet our granddaughter soon. I, for one, can't wait. If you'll excuse me, I have a conference call in about five minutes. I love you, son, " he whispers before heading up to his study.

"How 'bout that drink now, Mom?" James snickers.

"I've had just about enough of your snide comments, James."

"I can't believe this. I have a niece?"

"Yeah, Smidge. She's gorgeous. And I call her Minnie."

"What is with you and your obsession with the short nicknames?" she giggles, shaking her head. When…when can I see her?" She stammers, awe-struck.

"I don't know," I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair, "things are still fresh and new. Bella and I are in a weird spot, Smidge." I try my best to explain.

"She is allowing you to see her, isn't she?"

"Yeah, of course. There's just a lot more to the story. I've damaged so much between Bella and me. And then there's, Tanya," I growl.

She covers her face in despair and huffs.

"I always thought Bella was perfect for you, and I'll support you anyway I can. But you know Tanya is my husband's sister…."

"Say no more. This is my mess, and I'll fix it, but thank you for understanding, Smidge."

"Well I'm not married to any Denali's. I will help you in any way I can, little brother." James adds, and my mother damned near splits in two.

"We'll just see about that," She spits and picks up the wireless handset.

"Who are you calling?" I ask.

"Dr. Felix. All of you are so damned quick to make that baby an heiress, and you don't even know if she's truly blood related. You're getting a paternity test."

"Let me speak with Dr. Felix, please. It's Esme Cullen," she speaks into the handset, while glaring at me.

"Jesus Christ, I feel for you golden-boy." James adds.

"Hang up that phone now, Mother, or I swear to God, this little girl right here," I pull the picture of KC from my pocket and hold it up in her face, "you will never get the joy of having her be a part of your life."

The minute I say it, I feel like shit, but I mean every word of it. Something in her face changes as she studies the picture of KC.

Slowly, she lowers the phone and blindly fumbles it back into the cradle.

She reaches up timidly and takes the photo from my hand, her eyes start to well up with tears.

"I'll be damned." Her voice chokes. "Oh my…Edward! She's the spitting image of you!" she gasps.

"I actually thought she looked a lot like you," I amend.

She looks up at me with tears streaming down her face. "She's so beautiful. God, look at that hair." She looks at the photo in disbelief. "What did you say her name was?"

"Her name's Kennedy." I say a little more calmly as I watch her demeanor go from livid to one resembling a gooey marshmallow.

For the next couple of hours, and all through dinner, the conversation is about Kennedy, how beautiful she is, and how everyone can't wait to see her…to spoil her. Even my mother's turn around had been a surprise, but I know that she still hasn't changed her mind about, Bella. She never will.

It doesn't matter though. I'm more than ever determined to be a family with Bella and my daughter. The only thing left to do is to tell my wife.

* * *

_This isn't going to be easy._ I take the long route home and drive slowly. Tanya can be a problem, downright venomous if rubbed the wrong way. This will, without a doubt, rub her the wrong way.

I can handle anything she has to dish out, but I won't let anything or anyone bring harm to Bella or KC.

I'm not completely insensitive to Tanya's feelings. I don't want to see her hurt, but we need to face the inevitable. Our marriage is over. It never really was a marriage to begin with. Mergers, blackmail, basically wedlocked, in every sense of the word.

Now it's time to break free.

I pull into the driveway and kill the engine. I look up at the house and notice that there is minimal, if any, lighting at all inside.

_She must be at the office._

I feel a little relieved at the thought, as I figure it will give me more time to handle the situation delicately. The last thing I want is a crying, screaming altercation that results in more threats and even more blackmail.

Taking a deep breath, I climb out of my car and walk briskly up to the front door. I key in the code, enter and rest the back of my head against the door as I close it.

"Shit, this is going to be tougher than I thought," I huff knocking my head once on the door.

"What is?" I hear her calm voice speak from the bay window, her silhouette, the only thing visible.

"Jesus, why the hell are you sitting here in the dark, Tanya?"

"What's going to be tough, Edward?" she dodges my question with one of her own.

I reach over to the wall to turn up the dial on the light. As if she can sense what I was about to do, she stops me.

"Leave the light off."

_Weird._

I oblige and approach her. She's sitting on the window ledge, peering out into the night. I decide not to fuck around and get right to the point. There's no easy way of saying what I need to, so I just take the simple approach…again.

"I have something important to talk with you about. Rather, I have something important to tell you." I sit in front of her on the sill.

"Oh yeah?" she says acidly.

_Okay, this shit is getting a bit too creepy for me._

"Are you alright? What's your deal, Tanya?"

"What do you want to talk to me about?" she sighs heavily, not making eye contact. Something is off with her, more so than usual.

"Answer my question, Tanya."

"It's a beautiful night, don't you think? A nice night for drive, putting the top down and just going for a long drive." She's still vacantly staring out of the window.

She's starting to worry me, and I haven't even made a dent in the conversation that we need to have.

"Tanya, this…."

"Although the whole day felt like this…beautiful," she cuts me off. "I um…my OB/GYN called me today." She pauses for a moment and looks at me.

"I'm not going to be able to have children."

_Fuck!_

"I'm twenty-three and that bastard wrote my entire future for me today. No children. All because of some fucked up childhood accident I had."

"Tanya, I'm…I am so sorry," I say sorrowfully, leaning over and placing a hand on hers. She looks at me with tears streaming down her face.

"When I left his office, I just…drove. I drove to the fucking park, where kids were on swings and sliding boards and…." She shakes her head as her voice fades.

_Damn it! How the hell am I going to tell her about KC now?_

"What exactly did the doctor say?"

"That's not important," she lets out a small, sarcastic laugh. "What _is_ important was me in that park watching those kids." She stands and leans against the wall. "All those messy, untamed, beautiful kids…kids I will never get a chance to have. Kids I won't be able to give you."

"Tanya…."

"But you don't want kids with me, right? I mean we haven't even fucked!" She yells and buries her hands in her hair, her sobs coming out quickly and vanishing even faster.

I feel like a piece of shit. I have no idea how to comfort her. And the fact that I'm sitting on the mother of all bombshells isn't going to help matters. So I just listen as she vents.

"I sat in that park and cried for what seemed like hours, Edward, until this lady came and sat down next to me, and for some odd reason, I poured out my heart, dumping my problems onto her. She was comforting and so sickeningly sweet that it almost turned my stomach, going on and on about how I have other alternatives…adoption, In Vitro fertilization, surrogacy!" she screams and starts to sob again.

I feel nauseous. I can't tell her about KC now. I can't be that heartless.

I stand up slowly and make to pull her into my arms, but she shoves me away.

"Don't touch me! This is all your fault!"

"Tanya, the woman you talked to was right. There are so many other options for you to have children."

"Oh shut up, Edward. You sound like my doctor, giving me hope with one hand and–and crushing it with the other. Do you know, for a moment I started to let what she said comfort me and make me think that I could explore other options? She had the most beautiful blond-haired boy. He was perfect. And she told me that she had adopted him, and the way he clung to her proved that that kid loved her, and she loved him, no matter how he came into her life. In that moment I thought, _maybe I could do this. Maybe there is another way for me._ I didn't realize how much I wanted to be a mother, until I found out that I couldn't."

"But you can, Tanya. Don't you see that?"

"Tell me something, Edward?" She ignores my statement. I blink, waiting for her to elaborate.

"When were you going to tell me about, Kennedy?"

I feel my eyes widen briefly before a frown finally sets in.

_She knows_. _The question is how?_

"How…."

"Son of a bitch," she whispers and turns to walk away.

"Tanya, wait. How do you know about her?" I follow her into the living room.

"I told you it was a nice night for a drive," she snarks.

"Don't pull that sarcastic shit with me. How did you find out about, Kennedy?" My anger begins to flare.

"She's adorable, right down to her little carrot top," she mocks.

"Who told you?"

"Your fucking mother told me!" she snaps, whirling around.

_Of course she did. Goddamn her!_

"But that was after I bumped into your precious _Bella _at the park, pushing your kid in a stroller. What are the fucking odds?" She gives a disturbing chuckle. "I remember thinking, _damn this kid looks a lot like, Edward._ And it was almost as if Bella read my mind, because she got this stupid, scared deer-caught-in- headlights look on her face."

My mind instantly warps into protective mode, forgetting all about the fact that she was just crying her eyes out about being barren.

"What did you do? What did you say to, Bella? I swear to God, Tanya if you did anything…."

"You have got to be kidding me! You had a kid with her and didn't tell me, your wife. And now you're here swearing to God about what you will do to me because I found out about it? Fuck you, Edward!"

"I just found out about her. I was going to tell you about her tonight, but then you started to tell me about your devastating news. I didn't know what to do."

"How convenient…use my situation to lie to me about your illegitimate child."

"I didn't lie. I just saw that you were hurting and decided that this wasn't the appropriate time, but since you know now, I might as well get it all out in the open."

I still myself and look right in her eyes that are now alight with rage.

"Tanya, we can't continue like this, and I think you know that."

"I don't know shit, and your next words better not be anything along the lines of "I want a divorce", because it's not going to happen."

_Well, that could have gone better._

I knew once I told her, that her reaction would be something like this.

"Our marriage is over, Tanya. My place is not here with you."

She glares at me, shaking her head. "Your place is _exactly_ here with me, Edward Cullen and don't you dare think for a second that you are going to humiliate me and go and play ready-made family with Bella and that baby. It's not my fault that you knocked her up, and I won't sacrifice because of it. And if you cross me, I will have her father in jail faster than you can say the word…well you get it." She retreats up the stairs.

"We'll just see about that," I yell after her.

"We will." She slams her bedroom door.

_Definitely could have gone better._

I sigh heavily and think about the next thing to do. I need to make phone calls…but who to call first, is the problem.

I want to call Garrett and let him know about what's just transpired between Tanya and me and discuss what steps I need to take to protect Bella, the baby and myself.

I want to call my mother and cast her out of my life for exacerbating my problems with Tanya.

I want to call Bella just to see if she's okay and to make sure Tanya hasn't done irreparable damage to my already damaged relationship with Bella. This is the call, out of fear, that I least want to make.

I reach into my pocket and pull out my cell. I have three missed calls from Bella, back to back.

I quickly call her and brace myself for the verbal onslaught.

"Bella, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Edward, but I ran into Tanya at the park…Edward she knows."

"I know. I'm at home right now, and we kind of had it out. Bella, I'm so sorry if she said anything to upset you."

"She didn't. She actually didn't say anything and that was a bit…_weird._ She just looked at KC and me with this _knowing_ look on her face. Edward, she looked like she had been crying. What's going on?"

"It's complicated, Bella," I say, with an exhausting exhale.

There's dead silence on the line for brief moment and then she speaks.

"That must mean you're going to lie to me again. Please don't do me any more favors for my own good, Edward," she emphasizes.

"I'm not going to lie to you. I just don't want to get into it over the phone. I'll explain everything to you soon. I have a lot to discuss with you. Is tomorrow a good time to come by and see KC?"

"Yeah, of course. I don't have class tomorrow. We should both be up early. Come by whenever you're free."

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll call first."

"Okay…bye."

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Kiss her goodnight for me?"

"I will. Goodnight, Edward."

Listening to her end the call scares the hell out of me for some reason. I want nothing more than to tell her that I love her and that everything will be perfect, but Tanya is a ticking time bomb, and I know she won't walk away quietly. She meant every word she said. I have a feeling things are only beginning, rather than being close to being over.

* * *

It's around ten a.m. when I show up at her door.

She answers with the baby perched on her shoulder. She looks as if she hasn't slept at all.

Her hair is piled on top of her head with loose strands surrounding her face.

KC is crying uncontrollably, and Bella is bouncing and patting her back gently, trying to shush her.

"Help," she says, looking helplessly at KC then at me.

"You look….

"Don't." She admonishes and raises a hand to assert her point.

"I was just going to say you look…tired."

_ I'm thinking more like haggard, but I daren't say it. She's been up all night, obviously taking care of my child._

"Rough night?" I reach out to rub KC's back.

_Christ, the kid has a pair of lungs on her. She must get that from the Cullen women._

"A rough night doesn't begin to explain what I've been through. She's been crying for the greater part of the night, and now it's obviously spilled over into today."

"How can I help?" I want to do anything to contribute to stop the crying.

"Take her for a moment, please. See if she stops with you. I've witnessed you calming her once before, just give it a shot, please, Edward," her tone is bordering on desperation. "She's fed, she's changed, bathed and all. I don't know what's wrong!"

"Okay, calm down." I take KC from her and cradle her in my arms, rocking gently. The screaming continues, her little fist clenches at her curls, and she tugs.

_I'd say baby KC is thoroughly pissed about something. Poor thing won't have any hair by the time she takes her first steps._

"Yeah, she gets that from you."

I shoot Bella a look for pointing out my and my daughter's uncontrollable habit.

"Do you think maybe she's sick?"

"No…I mean, I don't think so. She doesn't have a fever, and she's eating regularly. Babies usually draw their legs upward when they have a tummy ache. I called her doctor, and he said that if she's eating and having regular BM's and wet diapers with no fevers, then she probably just has gas."

"BM's?"

"Bowel movements, Edward."

"Got it." I answer knowingly.

While we've been trying to figure out why the baby is crying so much, we hadn't noticed that she's finally quiet and sleeping soundly in my arms.

"How did you do that?" Bella whispers.

I shrug and tiptoe over to her cradle and gently place her inside. She stirs for a moment then gives a shuddering sigh and settles back into a deep sleep.

"I think she was just tired?"

"I think maybe you're right, and you definitely have the magic touch. God, I'm so exhausted," she breathes out, walking over to the sofa and collapses on it.

I pull KC's little blanket over her and back away slowly to join Bella on the sofa.

I look over at her, with her head resting back on the pillows and her eyes shut. She isn't sleeping, just content in the silence. Then I unwittingly ruin it.

"I want to take the baby to see my family."

"Absolutely not!"

We both snap our heads in the direction of the cradle at the sound of Bella's outburst, praying that it doesn't disturb KC.

I knew she would react this way. More like, this is the way I expected her to react at the notion of allowing my mother to spend time with KC.

"The rest of your family is wonderful, but your mother hates me, Edward, and I cannot allow my daughter to be subjected to that kind of…negativity."

"KC is _our_ daughter, Bella, and I promise you, I will never let anyone hurt her…or you. I know I probably have no right to ask, but this is extremely important to me."

I watch as she chews on the corner of her bottom lip. It's a clear sign of her weakening.

I know she understands about family. And even though she doesn't get along with my mother, I know she would never be able to allow KC to grow up not knowing the only grandmother she has left.

"Fine, but I swear if she spews any of her garbage at me, I'm out of there."

"She won't. I promise," I say with a wide grin.

"Don't smile at me. It's distracting." She tries to contain a smile of her own.

I ignore her request and continue to smile. Shit, I'm happy that things are going smoothly, and I'm not going to hide it or apologize for it either.

"Edward, what happened with Tanya?"

_So much for happiness!_

I mimic her position and lean my head back against the sofa. I don't want to lie to her. I won't lie to her ever again, but I don't feel she needs to know the whole story right now…only the important details. Other shit can wait.

"I told Tanya about KC…more like my mother told her, and I confirmed it."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah, I told her last night and she couldn't wait to report it to Tanya, it seems. But it doesn't matter. The important thing is that she knows, and things are going to change." I reach out and brush her cheek with the back of my hand.

She raises her head to look at me, trying to understand what I'm saying…knowing _exactly _what I'm saying.

Her eyes tell me that she understands it all.

"Edward, I…I don't…we can't…"

"Don't say it okay, Bella. Please don't. I know we can't just go back to the way things were, nor do I want to. I want to start afresh with you. Love you. Be with you. Raise our daughter…together. Please don't say, we can't, I don't want to hear those words from you." I stare into her beautiful face. Somehow, the hand I'm using to stroke her cheek turns into one single finger tracing the outline of her ruby lips.

"Things are so…." she pauses, shaking her head.

"Fucked up, I know. I never stopped loving you, Brown Eyes."

"That's a low blow," she whispers breathlessly.

"I can go lower," I breathe, closing the distance between us and pausing just an inch from her lips. Her eyes flutter closed, and I lick my lips slowly. She exhales. Her breath lingers on the wetness of my lips, and I lick them again savoring its sweetness.

"You're married."

"In my heart, to you and KC," I argue and gently peck her mouth. "In my heart I'm married to both of you."

"You don't play fair."

"Not when it comes to you."

This time, she leans in and initiates the kiss, and I quickly act on it, burying my hands in her hair, angling her head and deepening the kiss. It's primal, passionate and long overdue.

Her hands lock around my wrists to hold me tightly to her, and then KC starts wailing.

We both pull away hesitantly, panting. We groan unanimously in slight irritation.

"No," Bella whispers as she buries her forehead in my chest. All I can do is laugh.

_Cockblocked by my own kid. Perfect._

"Hey," I lift her face to mine, "lie back and get some rest, and I'll get KC."

She nods and looks like she wants to kiss me again, but she fights the urge. Instead, she pulls away and curls up on the other end of the sofa. I grab the afghan from the back and place it over her. I watch as she snuggles underneath before I go to pick up my daughter.

"Hey, Minnie, what's all this fuss about, huh?" I lift her out of the cradle and the crying stops. "You're a little faker. You just wanted me to pick you up. You wanted your daddy? Is that it?"

She yawns, letting me know that she's still tired. I walk around the room, rocking her back to slumber. I glance over to Bella and realize that she's asleep.

_Both of my girls. So beautiful! _I smile triumphantly and lean down to place a kiss on my daughter's forehead.

"This is where I belong."

* * *

_**~~W~~**_

**_Thank you so much for spending time reading. Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated._**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: Chapter 32**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight._**

**_EPOV_**

"I don't know about this, Edward."

"Bella, we've waited long enough, don't you think?"

"Maybe we're rushing this. I mean you're still married, and Tanya…."

"Don't worry about her. She's a non-factor."

"But…"

"No buts. We are doing this. This is going to happen. It's the right thing to do."

This song and dance has been going on since I arrived to pick up KC and Bella early this morning. We're going to my parents' house to introduce baby KC, and Bella is backpedalling.

"Your mom hates me."

"She hates everybody," I say encouragingly, while loading the baby's 'must have's' into the trunk of my car. One would think that she's staying a week.

"Edward, that doesn't make me feel any better." She folds her arms across her chest and pouts slightly.

I stop what I'm doing for a moment to take in her infantile behaviour and smile shaking my head. "You're funny."

"Edward…"

"Bella, listen. This is not going to get any easier if we wait. And by the way, I have family members other than my mother who I want to meet my daughter. Please do this for me…for KC?" I walk closer to her and pry her arms apart.

"Okay," she concedes in a hesitant whisper. "I'll go and get KC."

I watch as she goes back inside to get the baby, and I resume my fight with the infant car-seat contraption, not understanding who in their right mind would invent something to be so complicated.

"Place the base flat on the seat and slide the carrier into the base until you hear a click," I mumble aloud. "Okay, that's done. Now slide the harness across the front of the carrier and lock securely into place. What the fuck." I continue to mumble. "Son of a bitch!"

"Edward, this isn't going to work."

I huff irritably and turn to look at her holding KC with a worried expression.

"Bella, we've been through this."

"Not that. I meant that it would be easier if you put KC into the carrier first and then strap the harness.

I frown at her and then look back at the infant seat and decide to try things her way. With the progress that I'm making, we won't be getting to my parent's house any time soon.

Sure enough, her way works out easier, and she arrogantly smiles at me as she makes her way to the front seat.

* * *

As we pull into the drive of my parents' house, I notice Bella's nerves start to kick in. I peek at the backseat to see KC sleeping soundly and look back at Bella.

"Everything will be fine. Wait here for a moment."

I exit the car and walk around to the trunk, using unloading the items as an excuse to alert everyone that we've arrived, more so, to warn my mother once again about her behaviour toward Bella.

Bella grabs hold of my hand tightly as we enter.

My mother and sister immediately greet us by cooing and peeking into KC's carrier.

"Isabella, it's good to see you," my mother acknowledges acidly.

"Mother…" I warn in a no nonsense tone.

"Mrs. Cullen, it's good to see you too." Bella answers hoarsely.

Alice pulls Bella into a huge hug and tells her she has a bone to pick with her later. I'm not worried about that. Even though Alice is upset about how things have gone, she adores Bella like a sister.

When we're finally able to make it all the way into the house, my father and James walk over to get a glimpse of a sleeping KC.

"She's beautiful, Bella, and it's good to see you again," my father embraces Bella and takes the carrier from me.

"Come on in and make yourself at home. We are definitely going to be taking this little one off your hands for a while." He takes the baby over to the sofa where the rest of my family waits.

"God, she is so adorable! Bella, can I take her out?" Alice motions to the carrier.

Bella looks at me with a nervous smile before heading in my sister's direction.

"Um, sure let me help. It can be a little tricky with the straps and all."

While my family gushes over my daughter, I look on as Bella settles in and answers questions about the pregnancy and KC.

For the most part, no one attacks her about the how's and why's, except for when my mother slips in not so subtle comments about how she would have planned the most extravagant baby shower had she known that she was expecting a grandchild. Bella apologizes, but handles my mother with ease. I'm proud of her. All in all, the day is moving along smoothly.

* * *

We spend the entire day with my family. We talk, laugh, play with KC and act amazed at every little thing she does.

Bella has gotten comfortable enough to allow Alice to take KC for a stroller ride around the grounds of the house.

My mother invites Bella to stay for dinner, and she agrees. She excuses herself to speak to the cook about dinner, and that leaves Bella and I alone once my brother and father leave to make business calls.

I sit on the couch and stare at her as she watches Alice push KC around the pool area.

"Are you alright?" I startle her from her vigil.

"Yeah," she sighs contentedly. "Your sister is going to spoil her."

"We all are." I admit with a shrug. "Come here."

"Why?" She asks playfully.

"Come and find out."

She rolls her eyes and slowly walks over to me. The closer she gets, the wider I can feel my smile spread. She sits down beside me and waits.

"We belong together." I take her hand and bring it to my lips.

"Edward, you're married."

I shake my head, ignoring her statement. I don't want to hear or talk about, Tanya. Today is so perfect. I know that I have her to deal with, but not today, and not at this moment.

"What happened between us last night, Bella?"

She ducks her head and blushes, reliving our kiss.

"You know what happened last night, but it's irrelevant. You have a wife."

"Not for long." I turn her hand and kiss her palm. A look of confusion and hope crosses her features as she uses one finger to stroke my chin. "Have dinner with me."

"Uh, I think we are about to do that in a few, Edward," she mocks.

I suck my teeth at he sarcasm. "I meant tomorrow night…just you and me…well KC too," I chuckle.

"You want to go out on a date toting our one-month old daughter along?" She scrunches up her face.

_Man she makes it sound so…._

"Well when you say it like that…we could ask Smidge to look after her for a few hours."

"Edward," she exhales, "I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, I don't mind Alice watching her, but I don't think we should be seen out on a date while you're still married, and I'm not sure if…"

I silence her rant by covering her lips with mine and kiss her deeply. It doesn't take long for her to melt into it and start kissing me back. The soft moan she makes in the back of her throat tells me she wants to be with me as much as I want to be with her. _Tanya, be damned_.

"We'll have dinner at your place tomorrow night. I'll cook," I murmur into her mouth. "Say yes."

"Yes."

"Dinnertime!" James announces with a cackle, causing us to jump apart.

"Dick," I growl, glaring in his direction.

"I'll say," he retorts, motioning to my state of arousal. Bella's face deepens two shades, to the colour of crimson. I'm sure that my brother will be teasing both of us throughout dinner and the rest of the evening.

* * *

Later that evening, I drop Bella and KC off and head to my office. I'm beyond sleeping at the house, and I don't feel totally secure that Tanya won't try something dastardly like, locking me in the house or possibly trying to drug me. Of course I'm being facetious, but one never knows.

Besides, I have some things to take care of, and I can't do that with her lurking about. It's weird as hell that I haven't heard a word from her all day. No threats or 'where in the hell are you?' calls.

The office is empty. Everyone has gone home and the halls and lobby are in darkness. I flip on a couple of switches and unlock the door to my office.

I kick off my shoes in the corner and sit behind my desk, yawning and rubbing my eyes. Today has been a long, tiring one, even though for the most part, all I did was relax with Bella, KC and my family. KC kept everyone on their toes.

Alice and Bella are going out shopping with the baby tomorrow. I could see my mother's eagerness to be a part of their plans, but she still doesn't like Bella very much, so she kept quiet and sulked.

Bella promised to visit with the baby regularly, and this thrilled my father tremendously. He already dubs her the princess of the household.

James surprised me the most. He's really bonded with his niece, and somehow, he's convinced Bella to allow him to teach KC to swim when she's old enough. That won't be happening. If anyone is going to teach my baby girl two swim, it's going to me. James can have the leftovers.

I lounge back in my chair for a moment, revelling at the thought of Bella agreeing to have dinner with me. I have to do things perfectly. No more fuck-ups.

_Dinner, maybe a kiss or two...some sexual healing? Down boy!_ I berate my overactive body part. Sex will come later, although my desire for Bella couldn't be contained all day. Every chance I had, I was touching her…not inappropriately, but just in a way to let her know that I still want her badly. Nine months with no sex? Yeah, I'd say I want her badly.

I shake those thoughts from my head before I'm forced to alleviate the sexual tension that's been bottled up in me.

_Nine long months worth._

"Tell me about it," I scoff to myself and open my laptop to look for new property. I have to approach my situation seriously if I want Bella to believe that I'm being truthful when I say that I want to be with her and my daughter. First, I'll have Garrett serve Tanya the annulment papers tomorrow first thing, and second, I'll alert my realtor to check on some properties that I think would be perfect for the three of us.

_Shit, the four of us. I almost forgot about Sadie._

I won't be pushy about things. In fact, I'm just looking for a place for me at the moment, but while I'm at it, there's nothing wrong with finding a place that Bella, KC and Sadie would be comfortable in. I'll just need to be inconspicuous about it.

I'm browsing through homes on the Internet when I hear the elevator bell chime and the doors slide open.

_Who the hell would be coming here this time of night?_

A tap on the door and James poking his head in, answers my question.

"Looks like we both have the same idea, huh?" he asks and enters.

"Yeah, well unless you have a wife you're dreading going home to, I think our reasons for being here are completely different," I say blandly as I continue to scroll through properties.

"Touché," he laughs.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm checking on a couple of things for Aro, a few small companies he's interested in."

"Nothing that's going to create problems for Cullen Oil, I hope?

"Nah, you know Cullen Oil holds first priority with me, even if Dad doesn't recognize my worth."

"He does James…more than you know."

"I hope so."

I decide it's time to change the subject.

"So, is Aro trying to lure you away from the company? He seems to be very taken with your talents in corporate raiding."

"I don't know. He's kind of creepy, if you ask me, but I'm just learning what I can from him and moving on."

"Has he propositioned you already?"

"Not directly, but I'm sure it's coming. I am good you know," he says egotistically.

_Arrogant bastard._

"Just don't let CC find out that you're being recruited by one of his business partners. To him, it's like the ultimate disrespect."

"Don't worry. I'm loyal to our family. Everything I do is with _Cullen_ in mind, first and foremost," he winks and saunters out of the door. "I'll catch you later," he yells over his shoulder.

I know that he's loyal, but he wants so badly to impress our father. I just hope that he's being careful. Aro can be a ruthless snake.

I sigh and pull out my phone to text Bella goodnight. I would call, but I don't want to wake KC in case she's sleeping close to Bella. And I really don't want to see a repeat of the Bella that went without an entire night of sleep again. So I simply send her a message.

'**_I just want to say thank you for today and goodnight to you and KC. I love you.'_**

I place my phone down on the desk, not expecting a response, but my phone lights up in seconds.

'**_Goodnight, and we love you too.' _** I can't help the smile that goofily spreads across my face. It's had been so long since I heard those words from her. I thought that I would never hear them again. And now I have hope.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

_What the hell am I thinking? How in the hell could I agree to have dinner with Edward, while he's still married to Tanya?_

"I need my head examined."

"You do if you're talking to yourself again."

"Angela, what am I going to do?" I ask as she enters the kitchen.

"It's simple. Do you love Edward?"

"That's beside the point, Ange."

"I'll take that as a yes. If you love him, then you should be with him. And it's clear that this is what Edward wants too, so it's a win-win," she says, looking at me knowingly for a moment and then turns to rummage through the fridge for a quick snack.

"He has a wife. A bat crazy, narcissistic, and need I remind you, vengeful wife, Angela."

"And you're the love of his life and the mother of his child. Enough said." She walks out of the kitchen without another word and takes a huge crunching bite from her apple.

_Some help she is. Maybe I should talk to Rose…Nope…bad idea._

* * *

It's two p.m., and I've cleaned the apartment and put KC down for a nap. I haven't spoken to Edward all day and think that maybe he's become too busy to keep our dinner plans.

I'm soon proven wrong when there's a knock on the door and find Alice standing on the other side.

"Hey!" she says enthusiastically as she grabs me in a brief hug and pushes past me, asking for her niece.

"Hey…um…what are you doing here?" I'm confused, and I shut the door and follow her into the living room.

"Did you forget? We're supposed to go shopping today," she giggles. "Where's KC?"

_Damn it! I did forget._

I smack my forehead. Truth is, I'm so exhausted that I don't feel like going shopping. The real truth is that I despise shopping, and now that I have to do it for both the baby and me, I detest it even more.

"She's asleep upstairs. I'm sorry, Alice, it really slipped my mind, but give me a few minutes to get ready and we can go."

"Don't worry about it. I'm here for another reason now. We can go shopping another day." She waves off my oversight dismissively, and I notice the gleam in her eye.

_This can't be good._

I wait, dreading what she's about to reveal. Alice always has something up her sleeve.

"I'm coming to get the baby for a little while so you and Edward can have dinner. Alone."

_Just as I thought…something up her sleeve._

"Alice, I…"

I'm about to explain to her that it isn't necessary to take KC, when Rose comes bursting through the door.

"Bella, hey, where's my godchild?" She yells as she walks into the living room and stops short when she sees Alice.

"Oh my God, Rosie!"

"Ally!" Rose screeches back and they run to each other and embrace enthusiastically.

"Why is that neither of you ever spoke about the other to me?" I ask humorously as I watch them.

"It's Edward's fault," they say in unison and giggle uncontrollably.

I get the impression that they blame him for everything.

"I haven't seen you in ages," Alice says.

"It has been a while, but we have to catch up, Al. By the way, what are you doing here?" Realization suddenly strikes Rose. "The baby! You're her aunt! Damn, this is a small world."

"You have no idea." I smile at the two of them while they get reacquainted. One thing's for sure, my and KC's family circle is rapidly expanding.

* * *

By the time evening comes around, my tiny apartment is filled with people. Alice, Rose and Angela are chatting about random things. KC has her pick of whose arms she prefers resting in.

"Bella she's just so adorable," Alice says for the tenth time. I'm not complaining. She truly is the most perfect baby. And the fact that she's the spitting image of her father is reason enough for me to never forget him. Every time I look at her, I see him. I think God planned it this way.

I was sceptical about taking the baby to visit his family at first…sceptical about going within five feet of Esme Cullen.

Surprisingly, she was as cordial as she could possibly be, given that she doesn't care for me very much. Ever so often, I could feel her frostiness toward me…especially when Alice and I made plans to go baby shopping and she wasn't included. If looks could kill, Esme would be lethal.

As far as Edward's father is concerned, he's always treated me with respect and made me feel like a part of the family. He made sure I promised to bring the baby over as often as possible. He and James have plans to spoil her rotten. My daughter has so many people in her life who love her already, and I want to make sure she always knows it.

I want to give her a full life with both of her parents, although I don't quite know how to do that with things being the way they are with Edward and Tanya.

He keeps reassuring me that we belong together, and that it's just a matter of time before his marriage to Tanya is null and void. I want to believe him, but I also think that things are moving a bit too fast. I went from having no contact with him for months and being angry with him, to telling him that I love him in less than two weeks. And now, we're having dinner alone, and he's still a married man. It feels wrong.

While the girls are downstairs playing with KC and chatting, I go upstairs to take a warm bath and change into something more appropriate. I don't want to overdress since we're staying in, so I choose a comfortable pair of jeans and a thin cashmere sweater that dips off one shoulder. Rose gave it to me for Christmas.

I brush my hair out and pull it back into loose ponytail, then put on some lip gloss. Since I'm at home, I decide to forgo any type of footwear.

I bounce downstairs and see that Edward has already arrived and is going through the usual routine with Rose.

"Come on, Rosebud. You can't stay mad at me forever," Edward whines, humorously.

"I said I wasn't speaking to you." Rose re-joins the conversation that Alice and Angela are having."

"Okay, have it your way," he shrugs and instantly snatches Rose off the couch and tosses her over his shoulder, attacking her sides by tickling her relentlessly.

"You jackass! What are you doing? Put me down, Edward!" She shrieks in anger and practically wails with her giggles. The entire apartment erupts in laughter. This fuels Edward and pisses Rose off even more

"Not until you say you forgive me. Give it up, Rosebud." He prances around my apartment with Rose hanging upside-down over his shoulder.

"I swear to God, Edward Cullen when…I…get…down….from…aah! "Ah, ah, ah, say the magic words, Rosebud."

Edward I forgive you! Now put me down!"

"That's all I wanted to hear." He dumps her unceremoniously back onto the sofa and races to pick up KC for security. He smiles and winks at Rose as she hops off the couch and heads in his direction.

"You're using our baby as a shield?" I feign mortification.

"Of course he is. KC has a weasel for a father."

"Can't a man cuddle with his daughter without being accused of being a weasel?" He smirks and rocks and coos at KC.

"Bella, you have your work cut out for you with that one," Rose snipes as she fluffs out her barely mussed, blonde hair.

I raise my eyebrows and nod in agreement. I walk over to Edward and whisper to him, "Alice and Rose are taking KC for a while so we can have dinner."

"I know," he says with a waggle of his brows.

"You set this up, didn't you?" I stare at him, astonished, but he doesn't respond. His lingering kiss on my cheek is answer enough.

* * *

I kiss my daughter goodbye, and Alice and Rose tell me not to worry, and I finally give in. I wave them off and get misty-eyed at seeing my daughter leave without me. For some reason, it seems like she's going to be gone for too long and too far away.

I finally build up enough courage to close the door, and I notice how quiet my apartment is with everyone gone.

I glance around, and I realize that only candles now light my living room.

_When the hell did that happen?_

Edward is nowhere in sight, and I smile to myself.

I enter the kitchen as I hear him fumbling with pots and pans.

"Can I help?" I lean against the doorway. He looks up at me and shakes his head slowly.

"You're already helping. You look so beautiful."

"What, this old thing?" I pull gently at the sweater and chuckle.

"Yeah, that old thing. The way it shows off the flawless skin of your neck and shoulder…" His voice trails off, and he shakes his head. I know that look all too well…eyes darkening; the licking of his lips…the deep almost rough sound of his voice.

We haven't even started dinner, and the night is turning sexual. I have to find a way to turn things around.

I clear my throat and walk over to the sink to wash my hands.

"What are we having?"

"I went shopping before I came and bought a few things. I knew all you'd have here is mac and cheese." He nudges my arm playfully. "I'm making stuffed, grilled salmon, a little rice pilaf, and some grilled zucchini. You'll love it."

I damn near drool on the floor. How does he make food sound so erotic?

"Are we having dessert too?"

He laughs then winks at me as he rinses the zucchini.

* * *

The house smells awesome. Edward tells me  
that the food is almost done, and I'm starving.

We drink wine, standing barefoot in the kitchen while we prepare dinner. It's like we've been doing this for years.

We don't once talk about depressing things or the current situation we're dealing with…in a word, Tanya.

After dinner, we relax on the sofa, and he massages my feet.

"Dinner was fantastic, thank you." I moan and rest my head back, while I enjoy the way his magic fingers kneads the arches of my foot.

"You're welcome." I realise that he's said very little since we've settled down. A silent Edward worries me. I open my eyes and lift my head to watch him. He seems to be really concentrating on giving me the massage.

"Are you okay?"

"I've never been more okay." He looks directly at me.

"Why so quiet?"

"I just love being here like this…with you. This is how we're supposed to be." He pushes my jeans up a little and massages my calves. "Doesn't this feel perfect, Bella? The only thing missing right now is KC. She would multiply the way this moment feels right now."

I smile and get lost in the way his hands feel on my legs. It's been so long…too long since he made me feel this way. He's right. This is how we're meant to be.

* * *

**_ POV_**

"Let's see how much Tanya will pay for these? Cullen you are one dumb son of a bitch."

Following him has been an easy task. I sit in the parking lot and wait for him to come out of the grocery store. "Two brown paper bags, with what looks like French bread. Someone's making dinner," I chuckle deeply and snap a couple of frames.

Tanya told me…better yet, ordered me to tail her unsuspecting husband. She's paying top dollar, so hell, I'd sit around, snap a couple of pictures, although there isn't much to see. He's shopping for food, and he's gone in and out of his office. But like I said, top dollar…I'll play along. It's her money, and she's loaded.

Tanya is a gorgeous woman. Why she's putting up with this guy, I can't understand.

_She's a pain in the ass._ My conscience reminds me.

Cullen's loaded the groceries into his car, and he speeds off onto the highway. I'm right behind him.

_Fuck, slowdown, kid. Jeez, this guy drives like he's a competitor in the Indy Five Hundred._

He finally slows down and pulls off onto an exit and stops outside a wine and spirits store. I wait for him and follow him to his office.

_Tanya, you're going to pay me big for this shit._ I huff and get comfortable, knowing it could be a long wait. He returns to his car about three hours later, looking freshly showered with his hair still damp. He's changed into a white crewneck and a pair of casual gray slacks.

_Fucking pretty boys._

Seven o'clock p.m., and we're finally getting somewhere. "Bingo," I mentally high five myself when I recognize where the bastard is going.

I snap a couple more photos of Cullen exiting his car with the items he bought and get a few of him entering the chick's apartment.

_Bella Swan. _ _She's a cute kid, but she must be a tiger in the sack to make this guy want to give up a woman like Tanya Denali. What a waste of perfectly long legs. _I shake my head in bewilderment.

"This is going to be a long night," I sigh heavily and recline my seat back a little to wait until I can get something I can charge Tanya an arm and a leg for.

I've been sitting for about an hour before I see three females exit the house, carrying a baby seat and drive away. Bella's standing in the doorway, waving and Cullen is still inside.

I think that once she closes the door the show will begin, but nothing. I pray to God that she doesn't notice the way her curtains are slightly open…just enough for me to see inside.

I watch them drinking wine in the kitchen…the extremely expensive shit. "Five hundred dollars a fucking bottle. What a show off," I ridicule.

Zooming my camera lens, I snap frames of them smiling and clinking their glasses together. "That's it, you two love birds, smile for the camera," I laugh darkly and keep my finger on the button, clicking away continuously.

There isn't much going on, other than them eating dinner and chatting…well, at least until he starts with the foot rub.

_What the fuck is up with the foreplay? Is he going to bang her or what? Christ. What's with kids these days?_

I decide that this is the best I'm going to get, and I snap a couple more frames and call it a night.

I go home to shower, eat and print off the pictures.

I hold a few of them up and smile smugly. "Okay, Denali. This should be enough to prove an infidelity case."

* * *

The next morning, I stop by Tanya's home with the evidence of her cheating, back stabbing husband, as she not so subtly refers to him.

I give little rhythmic tap on the door, and she snatches it open without a moment's delay.

"Here's your money," she snaps, throwing the thick white envelope against my chest. "Give me the photos."

"Wow, aren't you going to at least invite me in for a cup of coffee?" I hand her the photos. "Now this is like déjà vu," I sneer.

"Get the fuck out of here before Edward sees you. We're done," she spits and rudely slams the door in my face.

_What a fucking bitch!_

"No wonder he's giving the hot young thing the dick, you frigid…" I yell through the door at her and stop myself before I call her a derogatory name. She doesn't respond to my rant. _Good. And good riddance!_

I peek inside the envelope and contemplate the tropical vacation I'll be enjoying in the next couple of days.

_Thank you, Ms Denali… or Cullen…or whatever the fuck you call yourself._

* * *

**_Tanya POV_**

Edward is crazy if he thinks that he's just going to toss me aside like a pair of twice-worn Louboutins. Baby or no baby, I'm his wife and that will be the case 'until death us do part'. I'm beyond sick of this Bella and Edward crap.

Yes, I had a meltdown when I received the disappointing news about not being able to get pregnant, but I'm not going to let that break me. And I sure as hell am not going to allow my marriage to end because of it.

I can't believe that he actually sent me annulment papers and didn't have the guts to do it to my face. He just got his prick of a lawyer to do his dirty work for him.

I also know that he's shacking up with Bella and her baby. He's never home and always lies about being at the office. Well, I'll make his and her life a living hell.

Barry got me all the proof I need to stall him until I find a way to get Bella out of his life for good.

_Maybe I could find a way to use that Jake guy Barry told me about._

Jake isn't the answer. She's so in love with Edward that she can't see straight. She'll never get over him.

I slide my back down the door and sit crossed legged on the carpet, thinking about what to do next. I open the envelope and study the photos carefully.

_I could fucking kill him with my bare hands and scratch her eyes out!_

I think about speaking to Esme about this, but once that baby came into the picture, I knew she that would change her tune…no matter if she likes Bella or not, Kennedy is the newest Cullen heiress, and that's all Esme cares about. And since I'm barren, in her eyes, there's no longer a need to fight for me.

"Annulment, huh Edward? Give it your best shot, Cullen." I glare at the photo with them drinking wine and staring into each other's eyes.

I reach for my cell and place a call I've been holding off on making. But he's left me with no other recourse.

"Gianna, serve him the papers. Yes I'm sure!" I yell and drop the phone onto the floor, not bothering to wait for her to end the call.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

_Man I'm getting fucking tired of sleeping in this office. _ It's the twentieth time I've entered this place today.

I don't complain too much because it's a necessary gesture to prove to Tanya that I'm serious about this marriage being over.

It's also necessary to prove to Bella that I'm very serious about being with her.

Tonight was perfect. The only thing that would have made it more perfect was if I didn't have to leave Bella…well not the only thing, but the key thing.

I walk over to the window to close the blinds before getting settled on the sofa, when I notice an unlabelled manila envelope on my desk.

"What the hell is this?" I grab the envelope and open it carefully. My eyes swiftly scan the document, and I snap.

_That spiteful little bitch!_

"Oh you think so, Tanya?" I snatch up my desk phone and type the numbers in so roughly, I think that I'll break it. The fucking phone rings six times before she actually decides to answer it.

"Hello?" Her voice is coated in mock sweetness.

"It takes you that goddamned long to answer the phone? You knew it was me, Tanya."

"What can I do for you, Edward?"

"Don't play games with me, Tanya. I got your little document. Is this the best you can do? I mean, I thought you'd at least try to arrange for some acid in my morning coffee, or torch my Armani suits, or at the very least, take a golf club to the Mercedes. Or maybe boiling bunnies is more your style?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Edward."

She's really going to play this game.

"I'm talking about contesting the annulment. It's beyond laughable and borderline insane."

"Oh that. I don't find it laughable at all, Edward. I can assure you that I am terribly serious. And as far as the insane comment goes, well you know what they say about creating a monster, right?"

I roughly scrub my face and inwardly count to ten to calm myself.

"Tanya, you have no grounds to contest the annulment."

"I disagree."

My patience is slipping.

"Our marriage is over!"

"Again, I'll have to disagree."

_Fuck!_

"Pay attention, because this is the last time I'm going to say this. Our marriage is over, and there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, you can do to stop the annulment!"

"We'll see about that," she responds calmly and hangs up on me.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I yell slamming the phone on the desk repeatedly, watching the receiver split in two.

There isn't a chance in hell that I'm going to play her fool twice. If she wants a fight, she sure as hell is going to get one. I'm not going to ruin my chances with Bella ever again.

* * *

**_~~~~W~~~~_**

**_See you soon and please review._**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: Chapter 33**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Still don't own it and I don't see it changing, sadly, Twilight is all Stephanie Meyer's._**

**_A/N : I just wanted to reiterate that this is a work of fiction and all dialogue and plot should be viewed as such. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. And thank you to foolforedward for correcting past grammatical errors. This is a reedit/repost_**

**_Tanya POV_**

"Fucking idiot," I slam the phone down after listening to his cell go to voicemail for the fifth time. He really has no clue as to whom he's dealing with.

_He didn't even try to make this marriage work._

"Nine goddamned months," I grumble to myself. "Nine fucking months!" I scream and hurl the crystal vase across the room, watching it smash to bits.

"You're so fucking confident, Edward Cullen. Let's see just how confident you really are." I grab my jacket and purse and storm out of the house, nearly tearing the door off its hinges.

* * *

I end up at work, in my office, rummaging through my desk for the annulment papers he had served on me. After about ten minutes, I find them at the bottom of the garbage can where I'd tossed them.

I skim through the formalities and become impatient to find what I'm looking for. "I verify that the statements made in this complaint are true to the best of my knowledge. I understand that false statements made herein are subject to the penalties of…."

"Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Damn it! I know it's in here somewhere. Aha, here it is! "… should the respondent contest the grounds for this application, he or she may request marriage counselling as a couple …"

With new hope, I plop down in the chair behind my desk and pick up the phone to call my lawyer.

Before I have a chance to finish dialling the number, my mother enters my office, looking worried.

"Hey sweetie, I've been trying to contact you all morning to see if you were available for breakfast."

"I don't have time this morning, Mother. I have some pressing business to take care of." I return the receiver to its cradle. The last thing I want is her prying into my private life.

"Tanya," she sighs and sits down in the chair in front of me. "I'm worried about you. I haven't seen you since you got that devastating news from your doctor… "

"Look, I don't want to talk about this right now, Mother."

"Alright, I understand, dear. And I'm sorry if I upset you."

"You didn't upset me. I just don't have time for this."

I glance at the annulment document on my desk, and I instantly regret it when I see her eyes follow my line of vision.

"What's this? She goes to retrieve the file.

"It's nothing." I try grabbing it before she can see anything important_. Too late!_

"These are annulment papers!" she practically shrieks.

"Mom, I…"

"Edward wants an annulment?"

"I can't talk about this right now. You need to go." I stand up and help her out of the chair.

"But, Tanya…."

"I'll call you later. I promise." I rush her out of the door. "And do not breathe a word of this to Dad or Grandpa, Mother. I mean it." I threaten as I shut the door in her face.

I race back over to the phone to call my lawyer.

"Gianna, I need to see you right away. I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

I pace back and forth as Gianna and I wait to hear back from Edward's lawyer.

"Calm down, Tanya. You're going to wear a hole in my carpet."

"How long does it take to return an urgent message? Edward's lawyer is such a cocky son of a bitch."

"Just," she pauses when the phone rings, "hold on a second, this is him now." "Garrett, so nice for you to return my call in a timely fashion," she says sarcastically. "My client would like to arrange a meeting with all of us present…No, I will not discuss what this is about over the phone. Give me a time when your schedule is free, and we'll be there…tomorrow afternoon at one is perfect. I'll see you then."

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow. Are you sure you want to go this route, Tanya?"

"Of course, I'm sure, and it would've been done already if I didn't have to do your fucking job for you, Gianna."

She raises her eyebrows and starts packing up her briefcase.

"I know you're dealing with a lot at the moment, so I'll let that mini tirade slide. But watch it next time. I won't be so forgiving. I'm due in court in fifteen minutes. See yourself out."

I need to get myself under control. Things are working out according to plan, so there's no need for me to lose it. I have Edward by the balls, and he doesn't even know it.

I take a couple of deep breaths and think about my next move. I know exactly where I'm going when I leave here.

* * *

I take the long route to my destination. I need the extra time to calm down and to make sure I do this correctly.

I pull up to Bella's apartment and take a moment to inhale deeply, and then exhale before climbing out of the car and knocking on her door.

"Ed…Tanya," she gasps, "what…what are you doing here?"

I roll my eyes at her slip and decide not to comment on it.

"I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Come in? I don't think that's a good idea."

"Fine," I roll my eyes and start to say what I came here for.

The baby starts crying at the top of her lungs and Bella tells me to wait at the door. I don't.

I push the half cracked door open and step inside. I watch as she lifts the baby up out of her cradle and perch her on her shoulder to comfort her.

When she turns to come back to the front door she's met with me standing in her living room.

"I asked you to wait outside, Tanya."

"Don't look so petrified. I'm not going to harm you or that precious baby. I came to say something, and then I'll leave."

"Fine, what is it?" she huffs.

"I thought about coming over here and demanding that you keep yourself and that baby away from my husband, but after everything I've gone through in the last couple of days, I've had a change of heart."

"What the hell are you talking about, Tanya? What have you gone through?" She frowns.

"Edward didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I received some devastating news from my OB/GYN the other day. I can't have children."

Her mouth falls open slightly at my revelation, and I see her arm protectively go around the baby.

"I...I'm sorry", she whispers, she clears her throat. "What does this have to do with…"

"Edward has filed for an annulment." I ignore her question. "He thinks he's going to just walk away from me and dance off into the sunset with you. I want you to know that I will not give him up without a fight."

"I think it's time for you to leave now."

"I was just going to do that." I reach out to gently touch Kennedy's hair. "She's beautiful. You're so lucky." I pull back my hand and turn to walk out of the door.

"You tell Edward, in sickness and in health. Remind him of that, will you, Bella?"

I close my eyes and exhale once more as her apartment door closes behind me. When I reopen them, I smile widely.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

**_EPOV_**

This whole day is fucked, and I'm in no mood for any type of bullshit.

Tanya had her lawyer call mine to arrange some sort of bogus meeting. I declined, but Garrett has advised me to attend just for shits and giggles.

I'm not in the mood for either shit or giggles.

Bella called me to let me know that Tanya had showed up at her apartment, asking her to give me some silly message about sickness and health.

_Like what the fuck is that supposed to mean?_

I nearly hit the roof. If it wasn't for Bella repeatedly reassuring me that Tanya was just acting out, I probably would have done something I would later regret.

"Where the fuck are they, Garrett?" I look at my watch for the hundredth time. "She's just doing this to fuck with me."

"You have nothing to worry about. She's just stalling. She's desperate, using any and every tactic she can to hold on to you. But you and I both know that she has no grounds to contest this annulment. Relax and let her lawyer talk her shit, then we'll shut them down."

"She'd better hurry up. I have things to do."

"Someone's impatient." Tanya's lawyer waltzes into Garrett's office, with Tanya behind her.

I immediately snap at the sight of her.

"If you go near Bella and KC again…."

"Edward," Garrett warns. "My client has business to attend to, so could we please get on with this?"

"Sure, this won't take long," she says sweetly and slides a few papers across the table for Garrett to look at. Tanya is silent, and I know that is the universal sign for trouble.

Garrett reads over the papers carefully and raises his eyes to look at Tanya's lawyer's smug expression. "You're kidding, right?"

"Far from it."

"What is it?" I lean in and whisper to Garrett.

"I'd like a minute alone with my client."

"Take all the time you need," She says confidently.

Garrett pulls me into a secluded corner and explains just what Tanya meant when she said 'in sickness and in health' or better yet, that she's claiming to have had a breakdown.

"You've got to be kidding me, Garrett! Can she do this?"

"Shh, Edward. Let's go have a seat and listen to exactly what she expects from this."

We return to the table and wait for them to talk.

"My client requests a postponement of the annulment on the grounds of an emotional breakdown."

"What?"

"Edward." Garrett warns again. "We're listening."

"Tanya is severely depressed and emotionally damaged since she found out that she can't have children, and to add to that, Edward filed for an annulment only days after this happened," she exaggerates. "On top of that," she emphasizes, "she found out that her husband had a child out of wedlock with his mistress, and he's now living a secret life with said mistress and child."

"Hold on one damned minute. Firstly,Bella was pregnant with my child before Tanya and I were married. Secondly, I planned on filing for an annulment way before I knew anything about Tanya's medical situation, and thirdly,I'm not living a secret life. She's always known how I feel about Bella. She just chooses to ignore it." I glare at Tanya.

"Edward, sit down and shut up," Garrett snaps. "No judge is going to listen to this shit, Gianna. There was no consummation of this marriage. It was all business. Therefore, it is null and void."

"According to whom…your client? He married Tanya, knowing that he loved another woman. He didn't ever allow for the opportunity for the marriage to grow. His relentless pining over this woman, while he was married to my client, contributed to her breakdown, and I plan to successfully argue that point. My client wants nothing more than a chance to make her marriage work with the man she loves. I think that's more than fair, given everything she's had to deal with."

"Bullshit! You don't love me. Stop sitting there pretending to be the jilted wife. You knew what this marriage was about, and what it was based on!"

"Why don't you enlighten everyone as to what this marriage was based on Edward," she finally speaks.

I know the moment the words are out of her mouth what she means. She's going to talk about Charlie.

"You're going to pay for this. On my life, you will pay, Tanya."

"Was that a threat, Mr. Cullen?" Her lawyer jumps in.

"Sit down, Edward. She's pressing all of your buttons, and you're falling for it."

"I also want to show you these." Tanya's lawyer slides a manila envelope in his direction.

"What's this; a smoking gun?" he snarks.

"You could say that," she responds with a smirk.

He opens the envelope and there are pictures of Bella and me from the night before, having dinner at her apartment.

"You sick, twisted, stalking bitch!"

"Edward!" Garrett admonishes.

"I cannot believe you did this!" I continue irately.

"These aren't admissible," my lawyer says, sliding them back in her direction.

"They are, if they were sent to her anonymously," she says, sliding them back.

"Anonymous, my ass, she had her creepy P.I. guy spy on me. Didn't you, Tanya?"

She looks at me and shrugs.

* * *

Two hours go by, in which time, I lose it, and Tanya plays the poor, hurt wife who just loves her husband so much that she'd do anything to make the marriage work.

I can no longer sit there and listen to any more of the garbage that's being spewed in that office, so I wait outside.

When Garrett finally comes out, he explains to me that he told Tanya's lawyer that we would give her request some thought before she takes it to a judge. Tanya makes herself look even better by saying she'd accept my daughter and wants all of us to bond.

_What a crock of shit._

As she and her lawyer exits the office, she walks over to me to push the knife in deeper.

"I know I won't win in court. That's not why I'm doing this. I'm hoping you'll do the right thing. If you don't, I won't contest the annulment, but I will stall it long enough so I can file for a legal divorce with your infidelity and lack of support toward my medical situation being the catalyst. I will take you for everything you have, with Cullen Oil as the main prize. Then, where will your family be? What will Esme think then? More importantly, the security for your daughter will be gone."

"What happened to you?" I shake my head in disbelief.

"Love," she replies blandly.

I scoff and look away from her.

"You know," I pause briefly to choose my next words carefully, "I know a little something about that. You can take everything I have. As a matter of fact, I'll give it all to you," I step closer to her, "and I'll still love Bella." I finally sneer in her face, my teeth clenched.

Garrett jumps between us. "I'll still have my daughter, Tanya, and they will both still love me, no matter what! Then, what will you have, you soulless bitch?" I yell as Garrett drags me into his office.

"Break something, if you need to. I won't bill you for it," he says and I do just that.

* * *

A couple of weeks have gone by since that meeting. I haven't seen or heard much from her, except for when I randomly stop by the house to clear out the remainder of my belongings.

My realtor has found me the perfect two-acre home. I know it will be lonely for now, but I don't plan on being there alone forever.

I've had an interior designer come in and make the home as family oriented as possible. I know that Bella and KC will be spending a lot of time there so it has to be comfortable for them.

I haven't told any of my family about what's going on with Tanya and me. I don't want it to end up being a war between the Denalis and the Cullens. It's our mess, and we need to get it under control, without any outside bickering. And if I know both sides well, which I do, this would turn out to be an even bigger mess if they're involved.

_Esme Cullen and McKenzie Denali? The world is not ready for those two to butt heads._

"Edward Masen Cullen!" my sister yells, storming into my office and stamping her tiny foot.

"Uh, yes, that's my name, and I take it you're upset with me for some reason, Smidge," I say sarcastically, removing my glasses and pushing aside the mound of paperwork in front of me.

"Don't you 'Smidge' me, Edward and I'm pissed to say the least." She slams my door.

I have no idea what I've done to warrant this rant, but I'm sure it's going to be entertaining. It always is with my sister.

"Why is it that I'm just finding out about you moving into a new home?"

"Is that what has you so angry with me? Honestly, Smidge, I just want to get out of that house with everything that's going on at the present time and I'm tired of sleeping in my office."

"I'm not disputing the fact that you left. In fact, you should never have married that she-devil in the first place. I'm talking about the fact that you have moved into a fabulous new home and have someone other than me decorating it!"

_Oh that._

"Smidge," I sigh, "I really wasn't thinking about it when I hired someone to do it. I just want to quickly get the place together so when Bella brings KC over everything is in place. I have to make sure Kennedy has a place of her own, and that it's comfortable for her."

Her face morphs into a crestfallen look of horror.

"How could you?" She whines. "She's _my _niece, Edward and you're letting someone other than me design her room!"

_Women._

"You're letting some stranger stuff her room with toys and cute little baby things. I know I haven't known her that long, but she's family, and I'm her aunt and…" she rambles, and I hold my head to stop the dull ache that's brewing.

"Alright! Jeez, Smidge. I'm sorry. You can have carte blanche on the house decorating. I don't care. Please just stop the whining."

She squeals and does some little happy dance, then races over to kiss my cheek. "Thank you, brother. You won't be sorry."

"Oh I'm sure I will be," I retort and watch her sprint out of my office. "No pink shit in my house, other than in the baby's area, Smidge. I'm warning you!" I yell after her.

"Don't worry!" she yells back and turns to wave as she enters the elevator.

"I am indeed worried." I slouch down into my chair and rest my head back, closing my eyes for a brief nap, and brief it is.

My phone rings and Lauren tells me she has a call from Tanya on the other end. She asks if I'm interested in taking it.

One would think after ignoring the previous calls on my cell and not responding to her voicemails that she would have gotten the hint.

"Put her through, Lauren."

Lauren transfers the call, and I wait for her to speak. I, for one, am not going to say a damned thing. Or at least, I think I'm not.

"What," I finally state when I realize that she's waiting for confirmation that I'm on the line.

"We have therapy at two o'clock." I slam the phone down without saying a word.

"Whoa! Business deal gone bad?" James asks, leaning against the frame of the door.

"That's exactly what it is." I stand up. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"No. That's why I'm here."

"Good, let's go hit the gym first and then have lunch."

"Will this be a working lunch or a strip club type of lunch?" he snickers.

"First, a game of one on one, and the winner gets to choose the type of lunch…deal?"

"Deal," he answers with a smile as we head out of my office. "You know I'm going to kick your ass, don't you?"

"The way this day is going I may just let you."

* * *

It's early in the evening and Bella and I are lounging on the sofa. It's the best ending to a shitty day…well, apart from me kicking my brother's ass in one on one.

"Man, she's getting so big already." We watch as KC reaches out for one of her brightly, colored toys as she rests on my lap.

"I know. Two months old today. I don't want her to grow up. Is that terrible?"

"I don't think so. I kind of know what you mean, but just think how much fun she will be when she's running around getting into all sorts of trouble. Can you imagine when she says her first curse word?" I joke, knowing it will get a rise out of her.

"Edward Cullen, don't you dare teach this precious baby any of your dirty language."

"Oh, her mother has a little potty mouth too when she gets going. Believe me, I've witnessed it."

She nudges me playfully and run her fingers softly through our daughter's hair.

"We could always have more." I throw in for good measure.

"More?" She looks at me in shock.

"Yeah…more."

"That's easy for you to say, mister. You didn't have the pleasure of delivering this little bundle of joy."

I feel a little saddened, but I don't want her to see how much it bothers me.

"Well, I will be there for the next birth, and everything else _you _do, won't I, Minnie?" I lift KC up and nuzzle her tiny nose.

"Hey! What next birth?" Bella squeaks.

"I'd say I could have you barefoot and pregnant again by the time KC's well into her next nap," I laugh.

She looks at me and shakes her head in disbelief. "You are too much, you know that?"

"It's just something to think about. Isn't that right, Minnie? You want a little brother or sister, don't you?" I coo.

"Edward," Bella warns.

"Just a thought," I repeat smugly.

"How's the situation with Tanya going?"

_Man what a buzz kill._

"It's the same," I sigh heavily and rise off the couch and move to place KC in her cradle. "I love you," I whisper to her and watch her as she drifts off to sleep.

"Have you two been fighting?"

"No, actually."

"Do you not want to talk about this?" she asks, somewhat annoyed.

"Bella, there's not much to say. We're still married, and she is trying to grind my nuts into sawdust, and I refuse to let her." I shrug. "Besides, I don't see her very much since I've moved into my new house."

"You moved into a new house? Wait, I thought you were staying at the office?" She comes over to stand next to me in front of KC's cradle. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I was getting around to it. I just want it to be…perfect first."

"Perfect for what?"

"For us."

"Edward, we cannot move in with you while you're married, and we still have so much to work out and…"

"Shhh." I lead her away from the baby so we won't wake her.

"I know it's soon, and although I would love nothing more than have you and KC to move in with me, I know I have to take care of this mess with Tanya first."

She seems to relax once I explain things to her in detail. But I also clarify that my intentions are to eventually become a real family and soon.

* * *

**_…one month later._**

**_EPOV_**

"Smidge, the place looks perfect. And don't worry about Bella not having a say in what décor you chose for KC's room. She hates that shit anyway." I yell up the stairs, before I go to answer the door.

"Can I help you?" A guy stands holding a large white envelope.

"Are you Edward Cullen?"

"Yes." I'm agitated that he doesn't answer my question immediately.

"You've been served," he hands me the envelope then hurries off.

_Prick._

"I need to call that security guy first thing in the morning to set up the gated alarm system," I grumble and shut the door.

I'm not surprised at him showing up or what the contents of the envelope reveal. Garrett told me that Tanya's lawyer had petitioned the court when I refused to go to couples counselling.

She's petitioning for divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty and infidelity.

My phone rings almost the instant that I look through the paperwork.

"Garrett…yeah I got them. No, I will not consider anything…I don't give a rat's ass….she can say whatever the fuck she wants….well, let her have a good time trying to prove it. By the way, I don't pay you to reason with me. I pay you to reason with her…talk to you soon." I end the call and toss the envelope onto the couch. It hits my sister in the midsection.

"Ow, what's this?"

"Tanya's bullshit."

"May I?" She motions at the envelope and I nod.

I sit on my new sofa, watching and waiting for the explosion. I'm shocked when there's nothing but silence.

"What are you going to do?"

"Go to court…let her spew her filth…divorce me and probably end up losing this very home that you so beautifully decorated, along with the undies off my ass."

We both laugh as she plops down next to me. "Seriously, Edward, is there any way that the two of you can work this out amicably?"

"Tanya doesn't want amicable, she wants me. And if she can't have me, she wants to see me ruined."

"Well, I'm going to talk to Jasper to see if he can talk some sense into her."

"Don't bother, Smidge. I don't want it causing problems between the two of you. Jasper and Tanya, despite being brother and sister, don't see eye to eye anyway. She won't listen to him."

"I guess you're right. I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"It will work out in the end." I pull her into a hug. "All I want is for this to be over with, so I can move on with my life."

"Bella and Kennedy?"

"Bella and Kennedy," I agree with a wink.

* * *

It's later in the week, and Bella is meeting me at the office for a picnic lunch. Romantic no, but it's all I can offer at this time. She's being extremely understanding.

Things have been progressing well between us, despite the fact that I'm dealing with an atom bomb on the other end of my life. She's promised to stand by me, no matter what. I really don't know what I did to deserve that kind of devotion from her.

I made sure everyone is out of the office so there would be no whispering or weird glances when she enters the lobby. I've paid for my entire staff to have an appreciation lunch, allowing us to spend some time alone. It isn't an entirely selfish plan; I do appreciate them. I just appreciate Bella more.

After I've paid the delivery guy for the takeout, I clear the coffee table in my office and set the table.

"Something smells good."

"Thank you," I say pretending arrogance.

"I meant the Thai food, Edward."

"I know what you meant. Come and eat."

"Good, I'm starving." She tastes a piece of spicy chicken while I grab some bottled water from the fridge.

"How were exams?"

"Hell," she answers simply, which makes me laugh.

"I know you did well, stop exaggerating."

"Mmhmm," she moans with a mouth full of food.

"What time do we pick KC up from Rose's?"

She holds up five fingers and stuffs some more chicken into her mouth. I just watch humorously.

"I'm being a pig I know, but I'm so hungry. I didn't eat dinner at all last night."

I know she's been studying like a mad woman for the last few days, and having the baby hasn't made it any easier. Even without the extra burden of studying for exams, she works so hard. I wish I could make things more comfortable for her, but I can't take the risk of spending the night at her place to help out with KC, out of fear that Tanya may use it against all of us in the end.

I wanted to have my daughter stay with me overnight so that Bella could study, but KC is still nursing, so that's not possible. Instead, she just fought through it, being super mom and student. She really is something to marvel at, even with her face jammed with Thai food. I smile at the thought.

We spend the afternoon talking about KC, future paediatrician appointments and Bella graduating college next year. We half joke about me still being chained to Tanya by the time she actually graduates, and KC taking her first steps. Half joke.

"I would sooner drink my iced coffee laced with strychnine then allow myself to be married to her for another…."

"I wouldn't finish that sentence, if I were you, hubby." She saunters into the office as if she owns it.

Both of our heads snap around, as we gape at her in shock. My shock quickly turns to anger, and I'm on my feet in two seconds.

"Get out."

"I'm not going anywhere. We need to talk, and we can do it alone or _not_." Her eyes dart to Bella.

"We have nothing to say to each other, Tanya. Anything you need to say, you can say it to my lawyer, or we'll deal with it in court."

"I think you're going to want to hear what I have to say, Edward. In fact, why don't you stick around for this too, Bella? It concerns you as well.

Bella's eyes swing to mine. Up until this point, she hasn't said a word, but when Tanya addresses her; all bets of her keeping silent are off.

"Tanya, I know that you and Edward have things to work out, but I can't imagine what that has to do with me."

"And this is what you're leaving me for?" Tanya scoffs. "Of course, it has _everything _to do with you! It's always been about _you!_ From the time I witnessed you all scatterbrained, picking out cheap lingerie for him in Paris. You didn't have a clue then, and you don't have one now."

"That's it, you're done. Get out of here." I grab her by the elbow to usher her to the door.

"Take your hands off me!" she snaps and yanks away from me.

"Edward, please, it's alright. Let her say what she's come to say. The sooner she says it, the sooner she'll leave."

"On the contrary, when the divorce is final, I won't be leaving anywhere. I'll own the damned building. This very office will be mine, and you will be the one leaving." She walks over to my desk and perches herself on top of it.

I scrub my hand over my face and exhale roughly. I haven't told Bella about what Tanya's planning. I don't want to burden her with it.

"What is she talking about, Edward? Oh forget it, you never tell me anything." She's becomes angry when I shake my head at her.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She turns to Tanya.

"He hasn't told you? Tsk, tsk, keeping secrets _again, _Edward? Not good."

"Leave it alone, Tanya."

"Not a chance in hell. When I divorce Edward next month, I will also be stripping him of his birth right, along with all the trimmings."

I glare at her and shake my head in distaste.

"What are you…?" Bella starts.

"Am I a little vague for you, Bella? Let me clarify. When you get to have him…finally…he won't have a pot to piss in, and you sure as hell won't be having midday picnics on the office plush carpet any longer. Even more to the point, he won't have a dime when I'm through with him. No more jetting off to Paris and places unknown. Penniless…nothing, nada." She looks at Bella smugly.

Bella turns to look at me with horror on her face and this is why I didn't tell her.

"Is this true?" she gasps.

"I don't care about the money."

"But…but this is your family's company!"

"It's my company, and I haven't been happy here in ages." I walk to her. "My family won't lose what they have. They have security."

"But what about you?" Her voice shakes.

"It'll be okay."

"Yeah, he'll be fine. He's pretty handy, as you know. He could get a job fry-cooking or whittling wood."

"Shut up!" Bella and I yell in unison.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers sombrely as tears form at the corners of her eyes.

"Hey, don't you do that." I brush at her tears. "I love you, and that's all that matters. You and KC are all that matter."

Suddenly Bella's demeanour changes from broken to irate.

"You are a miserable bitch!" She whips around and screams at Tanya, who is still sitting on my desk, legs swinging and smiling triumphantly.

"Ah, ah, ah, temper. Tame your attack dog, Edward. I told you this concerns you too, Bella. If you play nice, I will leave enough for KC's trust fund."

What happens next is pretty much a blur. All I see is a fist collide with a face, and two women on the floor in a tangled mess of blonde and brunette hair.

"Get her off me, Edward!"

"Bella, baby, let go!" I grab her around the waist, trying to pry her hands out of Tanya's hair.

"What the hell is going on here?" James runs into the office, looking stunned.

"Don't just stand there, help me break this shit up, man!"

I'm just able to pick Bella up and tear her away from Tanya, while James helps Tanya up off the floor.

"I will have you arrested for assault!" She flings her hair out of her eyes and screams at Bella.

"You provoked her, Tanya. You knew exactly what you were doing."

"Yeah, too bad she was too stupid to figure it out!"

"I'm not afraid of you!" Bella snaps, trying to catch her breath as I hold her back. I had no idea that she was this strong; she's such a tiny little thing.

"Well, that show's how much sense you have. You ought to be afraid of me. I will ruin you!"

"James, get her out of here, now!" I order sharply and watch until he leaves the room with Tanya, before turning Bella loose.

"You should've let me beat the crap out of her, Edward." She runs her hands through her hair.

_Damn, she looks hot. Who would've thought?_

"What are you smirking at?" She lashes out at me.

"You," I deadpan, and she can't contain her laughter any longer. Her mirth is infectious.

"Ughh, this isn't good is it? She asks once our laughter dies down.

"Nope." I pull her into my arms. "But it sure was fun to watch."

* * *

**_~~~~W~~~~_**

**_A/N: I'd say that was long overdue! R&R peeps._**


	34. Chapter 34, Planning Ahead

**Chapter 34**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight!_**

**_EPOV_**

After the mini brawl, I ask Bella if it would be okay for her to pick up KC without me so I can do some damage control. I know that Tanya will be foaming at the mouth to use Bella punching her as ammunition in the divorce case. Hell, she probably planned it that way.

James returns as I'm cleaning up some of the mess in my office and starts helping.

"Chick fights are always cool. Where's Mike Tyson?" He jokes, referring to Bella.

"Where's Tanya?"

"Well, I basically carried her to her car, while she called me every name in the book. She also called you and Bella a few choice names as well."

"I bet she did." I pick up the mess on the carpet.

"She also rambled on about you being a stupid idiot, leaving you broke, penniless and begging for mercy."

"Is that so?" I mock surprise.

"You're way to calm about this news for my liking…what gives?"

"I'm handling it."

"Mom's going to shit a brick when she finds out that Tanya is threatening to take the company, Edward."

"She's not getting her hands on the company. I'm just buying time, letting her think whatever she needs to."

"So, you have something in the works to stop her?"

I'm getting annoyed at his persistence. "Can we talk about something else, James?"

"No, I don't think, so little brother. This is not just your problem anymore. This concerns the entire family, including the newest addition…your daughter. What do you plan on doing if Tanya succeeds with her threats?"

"She won't, she can't, end of discussion," I snap. "Now, you can either help me or leave me be."

"Fine, I can see you have your shit to deal with, but just know I'm here if you need my help."

I sigh as I watch my brother walk out, and I take a seat on the floor, thinking about what I should do next. I've done everything I can to protect my wealth for Bella and KC, so I'm not worried about that. I know that there is no chance of Tanya getting everything, but I don't see why she should have any thing at all. She's manipulated this situation from the very beginning, and what I've done removes any possibility of her getting anything of worth. She still holds the threat of exposing Charlie, and I just cannot have Bella face the possibility to losing her only parent, she would be devastated. And now, KC will also be affected by any scandal involving her grandfather. I'm doing everything to keep Tanya from doing that, I need to stall her as long as possible and let her think that she has me by the balls, literally. I hate keeping Bella in the dark about everything, but it's better this way.

Knowing now that Tanya had her P.I take photos of Bella and me, she could be having my office bugged for all I know. I wouldn't put it past her. I didn't want to risk telling Bella or James that I had ownership of everything transferred over to KC, as soon as I found out she existed, even before Tanya started with her threats. I sure as hell don't want to her privy to this information before the divorce. She would just find another way to torture all of us.

One thing is certain; I have to let my parent's know exactly what's going on before they find out some other way, because they could complicate matters by doing something rash.

* * *

"That little…." My mother starts but catches herself.

I've called her and my father to the office to let them know the situation, after having my office swept for bugs, of course.

While my mother is irately storming around the office, spewing venom about Tanya, my father is just the opposite, calm, reassuring me that things would be fine.

"How can you be so calm, Carlisle? She's trying to ruin this family!"

"Yes, and it's partly your fault that she's doing so, Esme."

Her mouth falls open in astonishment, as she starts to protest, but thinks better of it. Deep down, my mother knows that she's partially to blame, having been Tanya's sidekick from the very beginning, but now that Tanya is threatening something so important to her, she wants to throttle her.

"Besides, our son doesn't seem nearly as paranoid as you are, so I assume you have this under control?" He asks me directly.

"I'm not worried about, Tanya," I answer honestly.

"Good, then I'm not worried either. Furthermore, the prenuptial will have her looking like a raving lunatic."

When I don't respond, two sets of eyes swing to me.

"Oh for the love of David, please tell me that in the midst of this farce of a marriage, that there was a prenuptial agreement drawn up?"

I sigh heavily and rear back in my chair. "No prenup."

"Fucking Christ," he mutters under his breath, "would you mind explaining to me how a multi-billionaire gets married without a prenuptial agreement? Do you have any idea how much you're worth…how powerful you are? What the hell is wrong with you, Edward?" He erupts, uncharacteristically.

"Nice overreaction, Dad."

"Don't you dare, Edward," he chastises. "You're sitting here, telling me that you're divorcing your wife, and she's acting like a spoiled brat and doing desperate things to hold onto you, and you think that I'm overreacting?"

"That's it. I'm going to pay a visit to Ms. Denali/Cullen and put an end to her shenanigans once and for all. Are you still going to play the role of the calm and tranquil father, Carlisle?" My mother glares pointedly, first at me and then at my father. She heads toward the door, I'm guessing to finish the job Bella started.

"You're not going anywhere, Mother. Stay away from Tanya, I mean it. God, I can't believe the two of you would have so little faith in me."

"Firstly, there is no prenup, so get over it. Secondly, there was no prenup on her end either; therefore she stands to lose as much as I do. Tanya is being a tyrant, but I'm dealing with her. With all that being said, it's my company, and I will do with it and protect it in any way I see fit. And this is why I've transferred ownership of Cullen Oil over to KC. The company is hers now."

"Excuse me, what did you say?" My mother leans in as if she's misheard me.

"You heard correctly, Mother. Kennedy is my daughter, and what's mine is hers, and that means Cullen Oil, the money…all of it."

"So, to save the company from the grubby clutches of your lunatic wife, you put a billion dollar company in the control of an infant?"

"Technically, no, like I said, what's mine also belongs to my daughter. Kennedy, along with Bella is my family. They are a package deal, and I wanted to make sure that they both were taken care of, and that Tanya does not stand a chance of getting anything of real worth. The bulk of my money is now out of her reach."

"What does, Bella have to do with any of this?" Her anger spikes. "She's not family. She's just some girl you stupidly knocked up!"

"Esme!" My father finally barks, getting her to stop her onslaught on Bella. "Continue, son."

I sigh and wipe a hand over my face to mask my annoyance at my mother. I know that Tanya has her pissed off, but she hates Bella, and for no good reason.

"Bella _is_ my family, no matter how you may feel about it. The company _is _KC's now, and until she's of age, I, along with James, will continue to run the company, and if anything should happen to me before KC is old enough to make any decisions about Cullen Oil, then her mother will." I brace myself for what comes next.

My mother's entire face goes ashen with shock, and she sways on her feet. "Oh dear Lord, he's lost it," she whispers. "Carlisle, he's completely lost it. Please say something to the boy!"

"Is this the decision that you want to make, son?"

"It is." I keep my eyes transfixed on his so he'll understand how serious I am. A reassuring crosses his face, and I know I have his approval.

"Is Bella aware of the huge responsibility that you've placed on her?"

"I haven't had a chance to discuss this with her yet, but there are a lot of underlying details. I know Bella knows nothing about the oil business, but like I've mentioned before, I, along with James will still play a huge, if not the major role in managing the company. Since she is her mother, Bella will just assist in any matter related to KC's role…. if she's needed. And there are a lot of 'if's' involved."

"I appreciate your clarification, and I apologize for blowing up at you before," my father offers apologetically.

"I understand your reasons."

"You know…all I ever wanted for you, your brother and sister was to learn the importance of family when you were growing up. Now that you have one of your own…." He pauses and smiles brightly, "I couldn't be more proud of the choices you've made to take care of them. Forgive me for doubting you."

I simply nod in gratitude, and he acknowledges me with a nod of his own. It's an understanding between a father and son, two men who want the best for their families.

My mother scowls at both of us. I'm sure that I won't be getting the same praise from her.

"I'm sorry to have to cut this short, but I have an important call to make. Esme?" He motions to her to leave the office with him, but she doesn't budge. Her eyes continue to dart back and forth between us, with a look of confusion and shock. "I'll see you at home then." He turns to leave. "Give my granddaughter a kiss for me, Edward."

"Close the door on your way out, Mother," I speak sternly and straighten my desk so I can leave as well.

"Oh no," she scoffs. "You don't get off that easily with me, Masen." She's eerily calm now that my father is out of earshot.

_Here we go._

"I don't want to hear it, Mother. I've said what I have to say, and I'm done with this conversation."

"Your father can preach the importance of family and act like he's the only one who gives a damn, but it seems as if I'm the only sane person left in this family, so you _are _going to listen to what I have to say."

I know there's not a chance of not having to listening to her rant at some stage, so I decide to just suck it up and get it over with.

"Your sister goes off and marries some idiot who's too much of an idiot to realize what he has in regards to his birthright, and you…you knock up the first girl who bats her big, baby brown, doe eyes…."

_You're right about that one. Bella has killer eyes. _

"And do not get me started on your brother," she rambles. Suddenly, she whirls around and glares at me.

"My money started this company. Your father and I fought tooth and nail so that it would become the successful business that it is today, so you kids would have something to call your own and pass along to your own children someday. You in particular, because you seemed to catch on how to run an oil company so quickly, but I will be damned if you hand it away to street trash."

I listen without uttering a word. I'm so angry; I can barely hold myself together.

"Now, KC is my granddaughter, and she should be taking care of …as we all are, but Bella…."

"What has she ever done to you," I interrupt, "besides fall in love with your son? She is the most caring and unselfish person I know, and I will not continue to allow you to assassinate my child's mother in this way. We are in this mess right now because of _you_."

"_You_ are in this _mess,_ that you're referring to, because _you_ couldn't keep it in your pants! And for the record, I wasn't the one who stole drug money, Edward."

"Neither did Bella, and she has paid enough for her father's mistake, Mother!"

"Hardly, you know what they say about the apple and the tree."

I'm out of my chair and standing face to face, squaring off with my own mother.

"I cannot believe that being a mother yourself, that you would feel this way about the woman who has brought the most beautiful baby into this world…your grandchild. I'm ashamed of you right now. Get out of my office, this is pointless." I'm exhausted with the situation and wave her off.

"You can't dismiss me. I'm not your girlfriend or your psychopathic wife. If you have chosen to give all that you're worth to your daughter, that's great. It's how it should be. KC, yes, but Bella, absolutely not, over my dead body. You got that, Masen?"

"I thought you might react this way." I return to my chair. "And I've heard what you had to say, now I would like to be left alone."

I don't look at her and go back to clearing my desk. She stands, watching me for a few moments before she turns to leave.

"Mother," I call out before she can make it to the door, "if you ever refer to the mother of my child as trash again, I will dismantle the company and auction it off brick by brick. Then, I'll make sure that you never see your granddaughter again. You got that?" I quirk an eyebrow at her as I finally decide to look at her.

No answer. I don't expect one. I can tell that she's pissed off by the way she takes her frustration out on my door. The slam reverberates throughout the room.

_Yeah, she's pissed off._

I feel bad about speaking to her that way, but it had to be said. I have to let her know that I will no longer tolerate her treatment of Bella. Now I'm having another internal battle…telling Bella about what I've done.

_Good luck, Cullen. You're sure going to need it._

* * *

**_One week later..._**

It's been a few days since I've had any contact with the women in my life, other than Bella and KC. There's only the dry 'hello, Mother' and the annoyed 'talk to my lawyer, Tanya' reserved for two of them. At this point, it suits me.

It's four o'clock in the afternoon, and I'm checking my house for the twentieth time, making sure everything's perfect. Bella and KC are coming over and will be seeing my new home for the first time. I silently curse my sister for making my house look like Toys R Us exploded throughout the place.

_How the fuck is a two and a half month old baby supposed to play with any of this shit?_

As I mentally berate Alice, there's an awkward sounding bang at the front door. I rush over to verbally assault whatever deliveryman is being so careless. I yank open the door, and am relieved to find Bella. Some delivery person can count himself lucky.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you let me know that you were driving up? I would've come out to meet you." Bella has both arms draped with diaper bags and another smaller bag clenched between her teeth.

"Welp meee!"

"Where's KC?"

"In da caw." I reach out and retrieve the bag from her mouth, dropping it to the floor with a smirk.

"Thank you," she huffs sarcastically.

"You're welcome. I'm going to get my abandoned daughter," I chuckle and watch her struggle inside.

"Very funny," she calls over her shoulder.

KC is awake and totally engaged with staring and smiling at the toy attached to her car seat. I open the door and reach in to unlatch her seat. "Hey gorgeous, God, you're getting so big. What is your mother feeding you?" I pretend in a strained voice.

I find Bella in the living room, her mouth agape.

"Alice?"

"Alice," I confirm and carefully take KC out of her seat, place her on the sofa and remove her sweater and hat.

"The house is amazing, Edward."

"I'm glad you like it; although I can't take credit for the décor."

She laughs and starts unpacking KC's bags. "Where's the kitchen. I need to pump."

"Walk straight ahead past the dining room and make a left." I hold my daughter to my chest as I give her a tour of the downstairs area.

"So, what do you think Minnie? Do you like it too? I think Mommy loves it. Practically everything in this room is for you." I glance around at the various pink stuffed animals and baby furniture.

"You are the most treasured little girl," I whisper in her ear and press my lips gently to her temple, breathing in her fresh baby scent. "You smell so good. Mommy does such a good job taking care of you. Forget about what mean old grandma says," I mutter to myself.

"Edward!" Bella calls from the kitchen.

"In the top cabinet, facing the island," I softly yell back, knowing exactly what she's looking for.

"Mommy's in the kitchen getting you more milk so you can get chubbier, and if possible, more cute," I coo. "I have a surprise for you while we wait for her." I make my way up the stairs to the nursery. I turn the dial on the wall to bring the lights up dimly.

"Wow, look Kennedy!" I exclaim in a hushed tone. "Your aunt Smidge has really outdone herself."

I gently bounce her as I walk over to the round cherry wood crib that's decorated with pink and white bedding. The nursery is adorned in pink. Alice wasn't going to have it any other way; although I think the cherry wood perfectly offsets all the pink, thank God.

I reach for the remote that controls the projection mobile and switch it on. I mock amazement at the reflection of different baby animals dancing around the walls of the room.

"Isn't that cool, sweetie!"

I lower the side of the crib and carefully lay KC in the center and watch as those serious eyes lock on the colors and movement shadows on the ceiling. I can that tell she enjoys the melody playing from the mobile as well.

I raise the side of the crib back up and rest my arm and head on the side as I watch my daughter happily. "This is where you belong, Minnie…both of you."

"You've certainly made it difficult for us to leave here, that's for sure," Bella murmurs from behind me. I turn my head to acknowledge her presence. She shakes her head in awe at the nursery.

"Are you sure about that, because I could do more? I still have some tricks up my sleeve."

"The nursery is…." she pauses, "I don't know what to say…it's just beautiful."

"Anything you want, Bella. Tell me what I have to do to get you to stay? We belong together…the three of us. I want her to have everything, Bella. She deserves that. She deserves to live under a roof with both her parents."

"We'll stay," she whispers, her eyes shining with unshed tears. My smile spreads and my heart thumps wildly in my chest.

"The night….for starters." My smile fades somewhat, but not completely, I have hope.

"Okay," I whisper and step in her direction, overwhelmed by the need to pull her into my arms and kiss her.

"Then increase it to a few more nights as we go along." She holds up her hand to stop my advance.

"Alright." I ignore her hand and continue to advance on her. "I love you, and I know you feel the same…say it."

"If you know it, then there's no need for me to say anything," she teases coyly.

"Say it, or I'll tickle it out of you."

"You wouldn't."

I raise a hand to her ribs, and she stops me at once. "I love you," she rushes out, and I can no longer suppress the need to feel her body close to mine. I pull her flush against me and press our foreheads together briefly, before my lips find hers, seemingly of their own accord.

"I love you, Edward," she breathes against my lips.

.

.

.

We're still sitting in the nursery, playing with KC on something called an activity mat. She's a bit young to appreciate it, but Alice insisted that she should have it. I think she may have covered every conceivable need for the next couple of years.

"She's going to march us all around cracking a little whip in her hands, you know," Bella cautions.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

KC gives a long yawn, and her eyes begin to droop. She's exhausted, and Bella and I are starving. While she's giving KC a sponge bath and change of clothing, I head to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. I don't want to spend part of the night preparing a fancy, time-consuming meal, so I settle on making us a quick chef's salad and warming a loaf of pumpernickel bread.

I prepare a tray with the food and decide to forego the bottle of wine and grab the bottle of chilled Pellegrino instead. I don't want Bella to think that I'm trying to get her liquored up to have my way with her.

_That wouldn't be such a bad idea…would it?_

I erase the thought from my head and return upstairs to the nursery where Bella's just placing KC into the crib.

I focus on her bent over, and my mind starts wandering.

_Stop it, Cullen! She's putting your daughter to bed, for Christ's sake!_

She's still oblivious to my presence at the door, so I clear my throat to get her attention.

"Oh! You're back. I was just putting her down to sleep. She drifted off mid bath," she laughs lightly.

"Do you think she's comfortable…with sleeping in a new bed and all?"

"How could she not be?" She waves a hand around the room. "This place is like baby heaven."

I simply smile and hold up the tray so she can see that I've prepared dinner.

"Should we eat here or downstairs or…?" I clear my throat again, "…or my room?"

"Oh," she looks around the room as if she's trying to find an out, "well I don't want to risk disturbing her sleep, and you're already up here with the food…so…I guess your room?"

"Alright."

I walk in first and set the tray down. "I didn't make anything too heavy, but the salads are pretty filling and the bread is deli…

I'm cut off as Bella pushes me onto the bed and straddles my waist.

"I can't take this anymore," she tears her sweater over her head and tosses it onto the floor.

"Can't take what?" I stare at her black lace-covered breasts.

"Eleven months." She unbuttons my shirt in record time.

"Eleven months?" She leans over and trails her warm lips over my nipples, causing me to gasp and grab her hips. I press her down and raise my hips simultaneously. We both groan at the sensation.

"Bella…. What do you mean by eleven months?" She keeps swirling her tongue around, sending tingles throughout my entire body. "Fuck…Bella…tell me."

"Eleven months…no sex." She drags her lips over to my ear and traces the outline with her tongue, while one of her hands snakes down between our bodies and palms my erection through my pants.

"Ahh…Bella…"

"Eleven months with no sex is a hard pill to swallow. Eleven months with no sex with you, when you're this sexy, is extreme torture," she pants in my ear.

Without thinking, I flip her over and pin her beneath me.

"Don't toy with me like this, Bella. I can't promise that I'll be gentlemanly if you change your mind, and tell me I have to wait another eleven months."

Her lips crush mine, and I growl when her nails gently rake up and down my back. Our kissing is frenzied, yet passionate. It's been so long since I felt her skin against mine this way, and every other thought except, one leaves my head.

"Eleven fucking months," I rasp as I plant lingering kisses from her chin down to the swell of her breasts.

"Did you fuck her?" She gasps as I gently bite the exposed skin at the top of her bra.

I can't believe it.

I_s this my Bella talking like this?_

"No, I only wanted you." I tug down the cup of her bra, revealing her erect nipple. I can't believe that she could really think that I could be with anyone but her.

I tease her peak with the tip of my tongue, before devouring her entire breast. She winces and looks at me in shock. I don't understand.

"They're sensitive…from nursing. You probably shouldn't." She begins to fix her bra. I smirk and bat her hands away. "I'll leave some for her," I smile devilishly as I suck, gently bite and admire the deep color it turns from my assault.

Her head is thrown back, and she arches while I repeat the action on the other breast. Her hands grab for my belt, and she frantically unbuckles it. Suddenly, something thing registers, and my hand stills hers as I lean up to look at her.

"What's wrong?" She's panting heavily.

"What about him?"

"What about who?"

"Jake…what about, Jake?"

She looks confused for a moment, before she realizes.

"Jake and I were never together."

"Don't lie to me, Bella, not about this. I saw you."

"What do you mean, you saw me? When do you think you saw me with Jake?"

"Never mind, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is this." I motion between us and kiss the swell of her breasts. None of it matters. I would still feel the same way about her, even if she did have sex with Jake.

"Stop." She pushes on my shoulders.

_No, no, no, please don't say stop._

"Tell me."

I zone out for a moment and look anywhere but her face as I recollect the events of that night…the way her silky, dark hair spilled down her back…the way her mouth hung slightly open while he….

"I saw you," I whisper, "the night you ran out when you found out that I had married, Tanya."

I finally look back at her, and her face is a mask of confusion.

"I ran after you, I drove everywhere looking for you, but I couldn't find you…Emmett gave me his address and I…."

"You what?"

"I went to his loft, and I saw the two of you."

"What exactly do you_ think_ you saw, Edward?"

"What the fuck is this, Bella? Do you get some sort of pleasure out of getting me to repeat what I saw…out loud? I know I fucked up by marrying, Tanya, but did you have to run straight into his arms? Did you have to have sex with him? Do you know what that did to me?"

"Edward…."

"No, forget it," I snap and crawl backwards from between her legs and off the bed. "I said everything…. all right, Bella. I'll be a man of my word."

She sits up, tousled hair and legs still spread wide, looking at me

"There was fog that night, but I know it was you, you were naked on his sofa…straddling him, fucking him like there was no tomorrow, and you loved every second. God you looked so…." Unable to look at her any longer, I turn trying to calm myself, but I can feel myself wanting to pummel something.

"Edward, it wasn't me." She climbs off the bed and wraps her arms around me from behind.

"Do you think I'm a fucking moron?"

I can feel her body shaking from giggling as she stands on her toes and trails kisses across the nape of my neck.

"You think this is a fucking joke?"

"You idiot, it wasn't me. It was Jake's girlfriend Emily, not me!"

I turn to look at her.

_Was my mind playing tricks on me that night? I saw her hair…her body. It was her… wasn't it?_

"Emily?"

"Yep." She pops the 'p' loudly.

I grab her face and search her eyes for a brief moment, looking to see if there's any possibility that she can be lying, but I see none.

"You didn't have sex with him?"

She shakes her head slowly. "It's only ever been you."

That's all I need, I feel nearly crippled with relief. I slowly drag her jeans, along with her panties, down her legs. I kiss her bare thighs as they are slowly exposed.

I lift her and wrap her legs around my waist and make my way over to the nearest flat surface…the bedroom door. We collide against it roughly as we kiss wildly.

The sensation of her bare wetness dragging against my hardness, over and over, is making me feel crazed. I pin her against the door with my hips and hold her up with one hand, while I shove the other in my pants and pull out my pulsing erection. It glides with ease back and forth between her legs as I move my hips in and out.

"God I've missed this," I growl into her neck, "I've missed this so much."

"Aren't you going to take off your pants?" She asks breathlessly.

"Eleven months…no, I don't think I have the strength to do all of that." I groan deeply when she brazenly reaches in my pants and grabs my ass, pressing me against her firmly. "Fuck!"

I line my cock up with her entrance and push gently, and her entire body goes rigid.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"No…we need…we should use a condom."

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

"Fuck," I curse, pulling her away from the door and placing her in the center of the bed, positioning her legs open. "Don't move…hold still, just like this."

I hurry over to the door and turn around to look at the woman of my dreams spread out and waiting for me, and I fight the urge to jump back on the bed and beg her like a horny high school teenager to not let a piece of rubber be the reason we don't make love tonight.

My mind races as I try to figure out where the hell I would have condoms. Bella and I hardly ever used them, and my sex life has been nonexistent since we broke up, so the chances of me having any are pretty much shot to hell.

I dart into the bathroom, close my eyes and say a quiet prayer.

"Please God, please..._please_."

I rip open the cabinet and frantically scan the contents till I find the medium sized black box.

"I'm so going to hell for this."

_Magnums! Thank you, baby sis_. I make a mental note to ask Alice when, how and why later.

I return to the bedroom and decide to shed the remainder of my clothing. I sheath myself and crawl back in between Bella's legs, which haven't moved an inch.

_Still open….perfect position….sweet Jesus!_

"Good girl," I praise as I sheathe my cock deep inside of her.

* * *

We're spent…panting and sweating heavily. We lie on our backs, eyes transfixed on the ceiling. It's the most satisfying and embarrassing moment in my sexual experience.

"Fuck."

"That was…"

"Terrible." I finish.

"It wasn't terrible…it was more like…."

"Quick," I finish her sentence again, and we both break out into laughter.

"No more eleven months…please?"

"We have all night to make up for it." She straddles me, smiling cheekily.

I'm definitely up for making up for lost time, but a thought crosses my mind as she's about to envelop me for a second time.

"KC, shouldn't we check on her?" I instantly regret it when my hardness slips from between her legs. She pauses as she looks at me, and finally agrees.

"I'll go and check on her." She climbs off me and searches around for her discarded clothing.

"No, I'll go…please?" I don't wait for an answer. I grab my pants from the floor and pull them on quickly and head to the nursery. KC is awake and watching her mobile.

I return to the bedroom to find Bella digging into the food that I made earlier.

"She's awake," I announce and walk over to sit down on the bed.

"Screaming her little head off, I bet."

"You would lose that bet. She was a perfect little angel, isn't that right sunshine?" I coo at KC.

"Get to work, Daddy." Bella holds her bottle out to me.

"It'll be my pleasure," I smirk and take the bottle from her hand graciously and lower into KC's mouth. She latches on eagerly. "Here you go, sweetie."

I watch in amazement as she drains her bottle. She's truly something.

_My little girl._

It seems that both of my girls were starving. The only noises you can hear throughout the room are suckling and chewing.

It's still early in the evening, and the day has gone well so far. It's a shame that I'm going to have to spoil it.

"Brown Eyes, we should talk."

"Okay," she mumbles through a mouthful and offers me some salad off her fork, which I gladly accept. We eat with me feeding KC and Bella feeding both of us off her plate.

_Who said we couldn't all enjoy dinner together?_

It's a beautiful family moment, but I need to get this over with, so we can move on from it.

_It's not going to get any easier, so just spit it out._

"I wanted to talk to you about the trust I set up for KC."

"I'm listening." She continues to eat, "this is so good."

"Thank you, baby. I've made some changes that may leave you a little…uneasy."

_Outraged is more like the word._

"What changes? I'm sure whatever they are it's the best for her future. I trust you," she smiles, softly strokes my jaw and goes back to eating.

_Wow, this is unexpected. Maybe this will go better than I thought._

"I'm so glad you feel that way, because I've transferred Cullen Oil over into KC's name, and when she's eighteen, it will all be hers."

Her fork hits the plate with a loud clang, and she whirls around with wide eyes, her cheek stuffed with bread.

"You what?" she mumbles.

She quickly chews her food and swallows.

"Your company," she rambles as she paces the floor. "A bill–a billion dollar company? Edward, are you insane?"

_So much for going better!_

"I told you I wanted her to have the best."

"Yeah, a roof over her head and food in her stomach, and okay, to splurge ridiculous amounts of money on some fancy school because you can't put a price on education, but a billion dollar Oil Company?"

"You seem to be stuck on this billion dollar thing." I joke.

"This is not funny, Edward Cullen. What if she doesn't want to run an oil company when she's older?"

"KC can be whatever she wants to be when she grows up. I would never do to her what my parents did to me, but she will have the option. Let's face it Bella, she's going to be a wealthy little girl." I shrug.

"Jesus Christ," she whispers to herself and runs both hands through her long deep waves in frustration.

_You might as well give her the rest of the news while she's flipping out._

"I guess this wouldn't be the best time to tell you that I've given you controlling interest until she's eighteen, if something should happen to me?"

_There are those wide eyes again._

"What? I–I–I don't know anything about the oil business, Edward!" She stammers. "I know animals. I'm going to be an _animal_ doctor!" She practically shrieks.

"And a damned good one too, sexy as well."

"Please don't try and dress this up with sex, Edward. Oh God, your mother," she gasps, "your mother is going to have me killed," she mutters to herself.

KC pauses in sucking on her bottle and sniffles like she's about to start wailing. I guess she can sense her mother's upset, or perhaps the tone of Bella's voice freaked her out. " It's okay, sweetie." I gently wiggle the bottle in her mouth so she'll latch on again. She soon drifts back to sleep.

"My mother is a non-issue."

I watch as Bella continues wearing out the carpet in front of me and rambles randomly to herself. I remain silent, and KC's sound asleep. I look around the room for an afghan to place under her on my bed. Seeing my daughter lying on the bed I just made love to her mother on is seriously fucking with my psyche. I try to rectify that the best way I can.

Once I have her down and comfortable, I go to Bella, who's clearly upset.

"Are you mad at me?" I wrap my arms around her waist.

"I'm not mad…I'm just confused…a bit overwhelmed…I don't know."

"Listen to me. You don't have to feel overwhelmed. Everything is not all black and white, Bella. The odds of anything happening to me are remote, if I'm being arrogant, and I am."

"That's not funny." She glares at me.

"Okay, okay. What I'm trying to say is, neither KC nor you are mandated to fall into the oil business. I've just passed it along to her in the hope that one day, she'll want to be a part of it, and if she chooses not to, then she'll still own it, and I, along with my brother, will continue to run it.

"And me?

"You will be more of an overseer, and that will only be the case if anything should happen to me. I know you will protect her and make sure she does the right thing, whether she decides to be a part of the business, or not. I want you to be right there to help her make the right decisions. My family would just drive her nuts."

"This is all very premature don't you think, Edward? I mean; she's two and a half months old."

"I have to plan for the future."

"Why does it seem like this just coincidentally popped up when Tanya is threatening to take everything from you?"

"It's not so coincidental, but it's how things should be. Bella, I want to be honest with you, and I couldn't do that the other day."

"Honest about what?" She looks worried.

"I need you to be prepared just in case."

"Okay, now you're scaring me."

"That's the last thing I want to do, but it's possible that Tanya will try and use what happened with Charlie if she doesn't get her way in court. And I'm positive that she won't get her way in court."

"God, we're never going to move on from this," she sighs dejectedly and makes to untangle herself from me.

"Yes, we are. I promise you."

"Tanya is never going to stop until she gets what she wants, and that's you, Edward."

"It doesn't matter. I want you and KC, and nothing is stronger than that. In two weeks the annulment will be granted, and we will have a life together."

"You make it sound so simple."

'It is that simple," I growl playfully against her throat.

"But what about…."

I shake my head and avoid her questioning by placing openmouthed kisses on her neck.

"Edward, this is serious."

"Shhh, this _is_ serious…round two, Dr. Bella," I whisper and lift her up, wrapping her legs around my waist once more and carry her to the bathroom. She giggles all the way.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Ever made passionate love on a sink? That answer had better be no, Brown Eyes," I warn causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

* * *

**_~~~~W~~~~_**


	35. Chapter 35, Her Comeuppance

**Chapter 35**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any characters, story lines associated with it._**

**_This is a re-edit, repost._**

**_BPOV_**

Two weeks later, I find myself pacing my living room floor after cleaning everything in my house…twice. I've played with KC and Sadie until they've both conked out, but I'm still wired.

Waiting for Edward to call me is driving me crazy. He's promised to contact me as soon as he's out of court. Today's the day. What kind of tricks will Tanya pull?

I've checked my cell phone at least fifty times, thinking that I might have missed his call.

_Damn it, ring!_

"Ring!" I yell, and a ring sounds out, but it's the doorbell.

I sprint across the room and snatch the door open, my eyes widen immediately.

"Dad?"

"Expecting me, were you?" He laughs and pulls me into a hug.

"What are you doing here?" I hug him back excitedly.

"I haven't seen my granddaughter since she was born. I've missed both of you."

"I can't believe you're here."

"Where's my grandbaby-girl?" He looks around eagerly, and I laugh at the term he's used.

I point at her cradle, and he tiptoes over, peeking inside at her sleeping soundly.

"She's getting so big. She looks like Edward." He immediately turns toward me to get my reaction.

"She's his twin. The vain bastard calls her Minnie," I laugh.

"Minnie?"

"As in Austin Powers' 'mini me'."

"The bastard," he mocks, "I've always liked that kid."

We both laugh as he carefully takes KC out of her cradle and rocks her gently.

"So, how are things?"

He doesn't have to go into detail. I know what he's referring to.

"Things are better."

"Just better?"

He knows from my smile that I'm desperately trying to hide, that things are more than just better. My thoughts float back to all the make-up sex Edward and I have had in the past two weeks…even the astounding bathroom sink sex.

"Things are better." I forcefully pull myself from my own thoughts. "But…"

"But?"

I haven't told him much, except for Edward finding out about the baby. I know that if I had told him everything, then he would have been on the next plane.

I sigh and decide to fill him in on the details. "Edward's wife is threatening to take away his company and money in the divorce."

"Can she do that?"

"Edward doesn't seem to be worried about it."

"Yeah, that doesn't seem accurate, besides, he's a smart, wealthy guy. Wealthy people always find a way to protect what's theirs."

"I'll say," I mumble, hoping he won't hear, but I'm wrong.

"What's that?"

"Edward put his multi-billion dollar company in his daughter's name," I sigh, thinking about it again. I still can't believe he did that.

"Wow!"

"He did it, not only for her future, but to keep his wife from trying to manipulate her way into having any part of it."

"Makes sense."

"But none of it matters if he pisses her off."

"What does that mean?"

"If she doesn't get what she wants, then she's going to use some information to try and hurt him." I don't tell him exactly what the information is, and that in fact, it would hurt us all.

"Man, she sounds…."

"Like a mega bitch." He laughs at my eagerness to use foul language.

"I'm sure whatever information she has on Edward won't stop him from doing what he wants. He's a determined young man. I've witnessed that."

I run my hand over KC's head softly as she continues to sleep. "She's threatening him with the information about you," I say in a voice so low I can barely hear myself.

"Son of bitch!" He exclaims quietly, trying not to wake the baby."Well, it doesn't matter anyway. That brings me to the second reason that's brought me here,"

I look at him, waiting for him to continue. I only hope that it isn't bad news.

"Bella, I was relieved from my duties as Police Chief."

"What? Why?" I gasp in horror.

"I confessed to the Deputy Superintendent about what I did, and I was let go."

"No! Dad, they can't do that!"

"Sweetheart, they can and they did, and let's face the facts, it was the right thing to do. I'm just glad that I'm able to retire quietly without charges being brought against me. They also allowed for my pension to stay intact. Now this thing can stop being held over our heads."

"This is a nightmare." I bury my face in my hands. I know it has to be a load off his shoulders. Carrying around the burden of this secret is tearing all of us up inside. The fact that it's over is a relief, but I know what being the Chief of Police meant to my father. He took pride in it. He loved helping people, and there are tons of officers that look up to him. It has to be killing him inside.

"Besides, it gives me more time to spend with my two baby-girls. What do you say to being able to see your old man on a daily basis?"

_What does he mean? Is he planning on staying?_

"I'm thinking about picking up and moving out here to be closer to you guys. Someone has to teach princess here how to play softball," he adds with a chuckle.

I look at him as I take in what he's saying. I've missed my father so much since I've been away from home, and having him closer to me would be amazing for me and KC.

"Bella?" He interrupts my thoughts. "What do you think?"

"I think that's the best news I've heard in a long time. I would love for you to have a part in raising KC. She needs both of her grandfathers in her life. Since you have nothing holding you in Florida, yes, I think you should move here," I sigh happily. "Now, if only Edward would call me with more good news."

"Where is he?" He senses the despair in my voice.

"He's in court. He promised to call me once it's over. That was five hours ago. Dad, I'm really starting to get worried."

* * *

**_James'POV_**

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen."

"Morning, Lauren, and please call me James. That Mr. Cullen shit is reserved for my dad and little brother. I don't require it. There are enough tight asses around here as it is, don't you think?" I joke and fix her with a wink, causing her to duck her head and blush like a schoolgirl.

_Man, it would be so wrong to fuck her...so, so wrong._

"Is my brother in his office?" I'm already on my way to Edward's door.

"Um, no, he has court this morning with Miss Denali…I meant Mrs. Cullen," she stammers as she corrects herself.

"Don't worry, I won't tell her you slipped, Lauren. I'm going to be working out of my brother's office, and there should be an important fax coming through from Volturi. Please keep an eye out for it, and bring it to me as soon as it comes through. My eyes only, Lauren."

"Yes, Sir…Mr. Cullen err, James."

"Good girl."

_A good hard fucking would take that stammer right out of her, or would it? Keep it moving, James. Edward would lose his shit if you banged his receptionist. The bastard never did share well._

I head into Edward's office and get straight to work. While handling some stock trades for Aro in Italy, I noticed that there has been an abundance of oil stock purchased in the last year. The information is stored on a flash drive, and it piques my curiosity.

"Why the hell is he buying up so much stock and not told me anything about it?"

I reach into my pants pocket and pull out the flash drive I swiped from his office and boot up my laptop.

"September twelfth, a quarter million. October third, three hundred and fifty thousand."

I scroll through the file and find about a dozen more purchases for approximately the same amount listed. It doesn't disclose what company the stock has been purchased from, and I start to panic.

"Fuck!" I think back to the conversation Edward and I had a while back.

"_There's an anonymous buyer purchasing up a fuck load of stock in Cullen Oil like it's going out of style. Were you aware of this?" _Edward's voice replays in my head over and over.

"Goddamn it, Aro, you son of a bitch. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

I press down the intercom button and yell irritably," Lauren, fax!"

"It's coming through now, Sir, err, James!"

"Damn it!" I growl and slam my fist on the desk. I can't believe that I missed this. Aro is silently raiding Cullen Oil and is using me to do it. How the fuck am I going to fix this?

Lauren bursts through the door frantically and hands me the fax that Aro wants me to look over. But at the moment, I'm too focused on trying to reverse the damage that's been done.

"Will there be anything else, James?" I roughly scrub a hand over my face and shoo her away with the other.

"I don't understand how I could've missed this."

I minimize the opened files and open up the bank account files to see if there's anything there that makes sense of the matter. Sure enough, I find something.

"Ten million dollars wired to an undisclosed account on January 1st, 2011? What the fuck?"

My brain is a jumbled mess, and my ass is going to be on the chopping block once Carlisle and Edward find out about this. They both warned me about Aro, and I thought I could handle him. Now it makes sense that he was after the company from the beginning and knew that I would jump at the chance to show my parents and brother that I could run the company myself.

"Too fucking ambitious, stupid, stupid, stupid," I berate myself and finally decide to open the fax that Aro sent.

"What the hell's this?" I wonder, looking at the unfamiliar sheets of paper. "Bank statements?" I press the intercom again, "Lauren is this all of the fax that came through?"

"Um, I think so…hold on a sec and let me make sure."

"Anonymous, anonymous…fucking anonymous," I tick off the listings one by one as I scan the documents. "Useless."

"Lauren!" I'm getting impatient with holding the fucking intercom button down.

"Just a minute, Sir!" I hear her fumbling with papers and her feet shuffling around the lobby.

"Hold on a second," I mumble to myself as my eyes land on something interesting. "Lauren, forget it. I have everything."

"Are you sur–" I release the button and examine the bank statements closely.

"Ten million dollar endorsed check on January 1st from a WD? Who the fuck is WD?"

I quickly look back at my laptop and scroll through the files once again. "The same amounts on the same day, but who the hell is WD?"

"Mr. Cullen…I mean Jam…"

"Forget it, Lauren. What is it?"

"Here's another page to the fax?"

"Great, thank you, and Lauren take an early lunch."

"Yes, Sir."

I immediately scan over the last page, reading aloud.

"Transfer of ownership to Aro Volturi, signed WD."

Still confused by what I'm reading, I pick up the office phone and place a call to Volturi offices in Italy.

"Heidi, hey gorgeous, it's James…yeah, I miss you too…that bad, huh? Yeah, I can't wait to see you too. Riding crop, huh? Well keep that on ice for me. Listen Heidi, I'm wrapping up some important paperwork, and I'm still kind of learning everyone's initials. Are you good with those?

Good girl….would you be able to tell me who the initials WD belong to?" I pause for a moment as she relays the information to me. "Yeah I'm still here, sweetheart…yeah I can't believe I didn't remember that one either." My voice trails off a bit as I think this through. "Listen, Heidi, I have to go, but I'll see you soon…use my account and buy yourself something nice…preferably something sexy that I can enjoy as well when I come back to Italy…take care, sweetness."

I end the call and think for a moment and tap my chin.

"WD …Oh, Windsor Denali, what would make you sell your company to Aro…and for a measly ten million?"

"Doesn't anyone work the hell around here anymore? Where the fuck is my receptionist?" Edward roars as he bursts through his office door. "Something wrong with your office…what the hell are you doing in mine?"

"I'm about to save your butt, and by the look and sound of it, court didn't go as expected."

"Court was a three ring circus, but everything went the way I expected. She's not entitled to a penny, which I already knew."

"Then why are you so pissed?" I'm confused and watch as my brother paces and almost tears his hair from the roots.

"Because she did exactly what I knew she would do!" he snaps and sends the trashcan flying across the room with one kick.

"Whoa, calm down, man. You said she's not getting the company or any of the money, right?"

"Fuck the money…I don't give a dog's hairy ass about the money or the company! It was never about that! She's going to the police to report the shit about Charlie!"

_Oh….that…yikes._

"I can't call Bella and tell her this. It will kill her. What the fuck am I going to do? I can't stay married to her. I'll lose Bella and my daughter, and then I'll kill her. I swear to God, James, I'll kill, Tanya."

"Okay, stop talking like that." I cross the room and grab him by the shoulders. I've never seen my brother like this before…eyes and hair wild, like a mad man. I know he shaved this morning, and I swear you can see five o'clock shadow on his jaw already.

"You're not killing anyone. I told you I would help you, and I meant it."

"You said something about saving my butt when I came in here…it has to be the mother of all miracles, James, because I can't stay married to that bitch…not even to save Charlie."

"You won't have to, little brother…not if what I just got my hands on is accurate."

"What are you talking about?"

"This," I grab the bank statements from the desk and hand them to him. "We've got her, bro." I grin smugly and watch as realization dawns in his eyes.

"How did you get this?"

"Let's just say Aro's secretary sent me the wrong fax, which turned out to be the right fax."

"James…shit, do you know what this means? Windsor Denali is toast!"

"And that means his little girl…your wife, is toast as well."

"Fuck…fuck!" he repeats as he darts across the room to his desk and presses the intercom button, "Lauren! Get me Windsor Denali on the phone pronto! Lauren? Where the hell is she?"

_I guess sending her for an early lunch wasn't such a good idea after all._

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I wait impatiently for Windsor to get his pompous ass over to my office.

I can't believe what James found out about him. With a little more digging, I found out that he's going bankrupt…rapidly. He's liquidating assets just to afford his home. Windsor is deeply in debt to Aro and the next sensible thing for Aro to do would be to go after Windsor's oil company. I'm going to beat Aro at his own game. I don't want Windsor's company, but what I do want is peace of mind, and for his daughter to take a flying leap; and he's going to make damned sure that I get it.

This is it. This was what I need to shut Tanya down once and for all. I want it so badly that I can almost taste my future with Bella and my daughter. There's nothing that can stop us from being happy and together now.

He finally strolls into my office, late as usual, looking more smug than ever. Windsor isn't an intimidating man…far from it, and I'm sure from the way that he's scowling, that his animosity is because of what's going on between me and Tanya.

"What's so important that you had to see me in person, Edward?"

"Have a seat, Windsor," I motion to the chair in front of my desk.

"I only have a few minutes to spare. There's an important Board meeting that I need to attend." He's terse and repeatedly checks his watch as if he's disinterested in anything I have to say.

"Board meeting, eh? That brings me to why I asked you here. How _is _business, Windsor?"

"Fine, although what concern is it of yours?" he asks icily.

_Hmm, someone's defensive._

"It's just a question," I remain nonchalant, "although, if you were having any sort of problems with Denali Oil, I may be of some help."

"Help," he scoffs and leans up to stare me straight in the face. "Do you know what you are, Edward?"

"I'm sure you're going to tell me," I sigh and wait for the onslaught.

"You're a spoiled, arrogant  
prick who's had everything handed to him on a silver platter. I wouldn't ask for help from you, if you were the only person on earth offering it…not that I need it in any case. The only help you can give to me is to get out of my daughter's life."

"That brings me to part two of why I asked you here. I don't know if you're aware of what Tanya is trying to do to keep me married to her, but I want you to convince her to stop."

"I'm not convincing her to do a damned thing. I hope she ruins you for what you did to her."

"I thought you might say that. Listen Windsor, you can't begin to understand what's going on between your daughter and me, but I do understand what's going on between you and Aro."

His eyes narrow into slits as he glares at me.

"What the hell are you on about? There's nothing going on…."

"Spare me the denial. I know about Denali going bankrupt and all of the cash Aro was giving you in exchange for stock. You're one step from selling Denali, or having it raided by vultures."

He doesn't confirm it, but his silence and body language is enough to let me know that it's the truth.

"What do you want?" he seethes.

"I want you to get Tanya to back off, and in exchange, I'll give you the money to save your company."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that? Her mind is made up…she wants you. I have no clue why?"

"I can understand your hostility toward me. If my daughter were hurt…." I decide not to finish the sentence; my daughter is none of his business.

He scoffs at the mention of me of having a daughter and shakes his head in disgust. "Yeah, I heard that, you have a little girl...ironic since you're married to my little girl, and she can't have children at all."

I'm not an uncaring monster. I feel for Tanya, but I'm not going to let any of them place a guilt trip on me about her not being able to have children and use that as a reason for us to stay in a disastrous marriage.

He sighs and briefly lowers his head in his hands, "My family means everything to me, and I can't tell them that we're broke. Denali oil was going to be Tanya's one day. She's exceeded my expectations in running the company. My own son didn't even want to be a part of it, but she did, and I'm so proud of her. How the hell am I going to tell her that it's all gone, the company and money gone, the car she drives, the roof over her head, it's all going to be repossessed?"

"It doesn't have to be. I'm offering you a lifeline, Windsor. Your family doesn't have to lose a thing. And I will go a step farther, I will make sure to put you in contact with investors that will make sure you never have to go through anything like this ever again. I want to help you, but you have to get her to stop the blackmail."

"Aro is already making a move to buy the company. He's already made me an offer."

"He's offered you ten million dollars in addition to some loans he's given you in the past."

"How do you know all of this?" He sounds outraged.

"How could you even think about selling him a multi-billion dollar company for peanuts?" I ignore his ire, I'm not about to reveal how I found out, in case he decides to mention any of this to Aro.

"You could have come to me or my father. We may have our personal differences, but we are loyal. Aro is a snake, and ten million dollars isn't even enough to cover the price of one of your homes, let alone Tanya's lifestyle."

He stands up from his seat and paces the floor slowly, deep in thought. He looks like a broken man. A powerful man like Windsor reverted to nothing is hard to watch. I can't imagine losing everything I've worked so hard for, especially when there' a family depending on you.

"How much is it going to take to keep the company from going into bankruptcy?"

"A little under one hundred million," he answers solemnly with his back turned to me as he stares out of the window.

"I'll have the bank wire the funds into your account by the end of the week."

He whirls around and stares at me with a serious expression.

"All you have to do is get Tanya to stop blackmailing me with the information she has on Charlie Swan, and the threat to your family and company is gone, just like that," I snap my fingers.

"He'll do no such thing!" Tanya spits from the doorway. "This has nothing to do with my father, Edward, leave him out of it."

"Tanya, sweetie….

"No, Daddy, he's just trying to use you to get to me." She storms into the room. "He knows that I will have his little girlfriend's father arrested in a heartbeat if he doesn't agree to my terms."

"And what terms are those, Tanya…to stay married to a man who doesn't want to be married to you? Sweetheart, you deserve so much more than this."

"You don't understand, Daddy. I can have what I want. He won't risk her father going to jail," she starts sobbing.

"I'll never stay married to you, Tanya…no matter what," I add calmly, watching her fall to pieces in front me.

"Shut up! I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to me, you bastard!"

I sigh and decide to keep my mouth shut. I know that Windsor has already made the decision to let me bail him out. He just has to convince Tanya to do the right thing.

"Tanya, sweetie, listen to me. I know you're hurt, but you're never going to be happy like this. You have to let go."

"I'm not letting anything go. He's going to be as miserable as I am, and I'm going to make sure of it. It's just a matter of which brand of misery he chooses to live with, a life with me, or a life knowing that he's the reason his girlfriend's father is behind bars."

"Baby, you have to stop this." He grabs a hold of her shoulders.

I can't take this shit anymore. Windsor is taking too long and basically getting nowhere with his emotionally distraught daughter.

"What's it going to be, Windsor, me saving the company or Aro controlling it?"

"You son of a bitch. You didn't have to just blurt it out like that."

I simply shrug and wait for Tanya to go ballistic.

"What's he talking about, Daddy?"

I watch as he drops his head in shame, not knowing how to answer her question. So I decide to help him out.

"Your family is broke. Aro Volturi has propositioned your father to buy Denali Oil for ten million dollars."

"Wha- what? Daddy, what the hell is he talking about?" She looks horrified, mouth practically hanging open.

"Damn it, Edward!"

"The company is going bankrupt…your father is in trouble, Tanya. I'm offering him a way out."

"Daddy, is this true?"

"I'm afraid so, sweetheart," he sighs heavily.

Tanya quickly dries the tears and pulls her father to sit on my office sofa.

"What happened?" Windsor goes into detail about some bad investments he made and how he tried to make things right. He tells her about the liquidation of his assets, and him having to take money from her trust fund to try and save the company. She's mortified to say the least, screaming at him one moment and crying uncontrollably the next, and I have to sit here and witness all of it. I just want this to be over. I want Windsor to accept my offer and get Tanya to give me the information on Charlie and be done with this nightmare of a marriage.

"You said you would help Denali Oil," she turns to me and I nod, "then help."

"I told your father I would have funds transferred by the end of the week."

"Good," she gets up to leave.

"I want the photos and all the information you have on Charlie, Tanya. That's the deal."

"You son of a bitch," she sneers.

"It's not much fun, is it?" I counter, "I want all of it by the end of the day, and don't even try to pull anything slick like making copies. You don't want to mess with me in that way. I want this mess over with today."

"You're blackmailing me?"

Her nostrils flare and her chest heaves, letting me know that she's pissed off, but has no fight left in her. She'd never let her family suffer any more than I would. She knows her father is a proud man, and that he'd be destroyed once word gets around that the Denali's have gone from being one of the most powerful families to having nothing overnight. She isn't willing to take that risk, even for the chance of ruining me.

"We end as we began," I lock eyes with her. She gives me a lingering glare before she stomps out of my office with her father behind her. I tilt my head back and inhale deeply, exhaling slowly in satisfaction.

"It's finally over," I breathe out loud.

I sit at my desk, just taking a moment to let everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours sink in. I want to call Bella, but I have to make sure that Tanya can't ever threaten our happiness again.

"Lauren," I speak into the intercom.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen?"

"Could you come in here for a moment please and bring your laptop?"

"Yes, right away, Mr. Cullen."

As I have Lauren prepare a security document, I think about what I want a particular clause in the document to read.

"Should Tanya Denali renege on the terms of this agreement, then ownership of Denali Oil is to be turned over to James Cullen," I dictate.

"Is that all, Mr. Cullen?"

"Yes, Lauren. That should do it."

"I'm sending copies to your printer now, Mr. Cullen."

"Thank you, and Lauren, take the rest of the day off," I add with a wide smile.

_It's finally over._

* * *

**_~~~~~W~~~~_**


	36. Chapter 36

** Chapter 36**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: All rights to anything associated with Twilight belong to the original author. All rights to Wedlocked belong to Chynnadoll. Hehe._**

**_A/N: Sorry about the mix-up for chapter 35. It was late night and I wanted to hurry and get it posted. All is fixed now, So you may wanna go back first and read chapter 35 because it is very important to the story. Thank you to all who PM'd me catching the mistake, again I apologize.(sorry about the red, but a lot of readers skip A/n's)_**

**_EPOV_**

**_Three months later…._**

I'm driving home from work. The entire day had been a bitch. Business sucks. All I want to do is get home and soak away the tension in a hot bath. I don't give a fuck about what thoughts people have about men taking baths; I need and want the stress to vanish.

At the end of the day, I do have something to look forward going home to.

_My Brown Eyes and my Minnie._ I switch to my favorite satellite radio station and crank the volume. Kennedy is getting so big already…five months old. Damn! Where has the time gone?

She's my reason for rushing home every day after work. No one would imagine that seeing her beautiful smile and her literally bouncing in Bella's arms to greet me would be the one thing that turns me into a puddle of goo. She and Bella are the center of my universe.

I'm in a rush to get home to see them both, but take the long way, since it's a rather nice day out. The ride will help soothe some of the tension before I reach home. Besides, I haven't had a chance to really drive the new Jag since I purchased it. My new gift to myself after the divorce was finalized. After purging Tanya from my life, I thought it was only fitting. I miss the old Jag, may she rest in peace, but this one eases the pain of losing her. This one is gorgeous…midnight blue, almost black and maxed out. Perfect!

I bought Bella a matching one in white as a promise to myself to replace that beast of a truck she drives…his and hers XJ's. I know that she loved driving my car, so I had to get her one of her own. Of course, it stays parked in my garage more than Bella takes it out. She won't even breathe on the thing…just checks on it every chance she gets and constantly wipes any imaginary blemish she thinks she sees on it. I remember when I revealed it to her for the first time. She just stared at it wide eyed and nervously chewed on her thumbnail. She's a bit embarrassed to drive it around her friends, I think. It's all really cute.

After all the Tanya drama, so many things have changed in our lives. Charlie's moved to Chicago to be closer to Bella and the baby, which is a great thing. I've kept to my word and bailed the Denali's out of financial ruin, and Bella and I are free to be together.

Charlie is in the clear, which makes Tanya's blackmail a failed attempt. She cannot hold it over us any longer. Bella was in shock, to say the least that I didn't go off the deep end when I found out about Charlie, after having made the deal with Tanya. I don't care. It's over and I can't be happier.

**_Flashback, Three months earlier…._**

I pull up to Bella's and park hurriedly. I reach across the console and grab the champagne I had Lauren special order.

I think they call this feeling I'm experiencing cloud nine, or some shit like that. I jog up to Bella's front porch and bang on the door in rapid succession. She snatches open the door, looking adorably annoyed.

"Edward, what the hell?"

I grab the back of her neck with my free hand and crush my lips to hers. The nightmare is finally over and no more cautious, carefully planned kisses.

"Edward," she mumbles through the kiss.

"Mmm, I love you."

"I love you too, but I have to tell you something," she manages in between kisses.

"Let's do it, right here on the porch," I press her up against the doorframe.

"What? We can't do it here!" she pulls away from me and protests in horror.

"Okay, okay fine," I back her into the house and close the door behind me with my foot. I reattach my lips to her neck and gently plant kisses all over the exposed skin. "Where's Kennedy?"

"She's in her cradle?" She whispers.

"Is she asleep?"

"Yes. She's been napping for about a half hour."

"Good, then that means we have about ten minutes…eleven tops."

"Edward…"

"Shhh, baby, you're going to have to be quiet," I grunt as I lift her with one hand and grip under her ass. Her legs instantly wrap around my waist, and her fingers bury themselves in my hair. I walk her over to the wall, bracing her against it with my hips as I unbutton her shirt.

"This is going to be the most intense sexual experience either of us has ever had…. the fastest too." I growl lowly as her ivory torso is revealed to me. "You are so sexy. I want you right here, right now."

"You're going to have a problem there, lover boy." A husky male voice says from behind us.

"Dad!" Bella squeaks, immediately releasing her legs from my waist as she holds her shirt together with both hands. "I thought you were sleeping!"

Fuck!

"I just bet you did. Hey, Edward."

"Charlie." I acknowledge in embarrassment. "Bella didn't tell me you were coming," I instantly regret my choice of words when I see his eyebrow lift.

"Err…visiting." I nervously rub the back of my neck.

"Mmhm, that's because she didn't know," he responds condescendingly.

Shit! I can just imagine what's going through his head. Hell, I know what's going through mine, and my current state of arousal is clearly not going unnoticed. It's a good thing he interrupted when he did. Charlie and I get along well, but I'm sure things would've been altered if he'd appeared five minutes later. Charlie walking in and seeing my naked ass pumping vigorously in and out of Bella would definitely strain our relationship….his and mine….mine and Bella's….Bella's and his.

"Special celebration?"

"Huh?"

"I see you brought champagne. What's the occasion?"

"Oh, yeah that. Well that's…my reason…for the uh," I flounder as I nervously clear my throat and gesture to the wall where Bella and I were just crushed against. "Tanya finally gave up and came to her senses." I turn to face, Bella.

"She just gave up?"

"Not exactly. To cut a long story short, her family needed my help with a business catastrophe, and in return for me saving their company, she agreed to do the right thing. It's over, Brown Eyes. She's out of our lives for good!" I yell happily and swing her up in my arms and twirl her around, making her giggle with delight.

"It's finally over. Oh my God. I can't believe it!" she squeals, breaking out into the widest smile I've ever seen. "What happened? You said their company was in trouble_?"_

"It was. They were going bankrupt and losing the company. I found out some useful information and offered them my help." I shrug.

"Why would you want to help the woman who was practically making your life a living hell, if you don't mind me asking?" Charlie asks skeptically.

"Dad!"

"It's okay," I reassure Bella as we all walk to the living room.

"Charlie, I would've made a deal with the devil if it meant being able to protect my family, and by family I mean…"

"I know what you mean, kid. I know all about making deals with the devil, unfortunately. It's good that you were able to work out a deal that allows you and Bella and your daughter to be together."

"Yeah, a pretty pricey deal, but worth every penny," I add as I stroke Bella's hair and stare deep into her eyes.

"Wait, you paid her to walk away from the marriage and stop the blackmail?"

"You sound upset, but yes. I had to, Bella. She was never going to stop."

"If only you'd called me or answered your phone," she sighs despondently and stands up. "How much did it cost you to do that, Edward?"

"That's not important. The only thing that matters is that it's done."

"Nice dodge, Cullen."

"Okay fine, one hundred million." I wait for those amazing eyes to get the size of saucers.

"One hundred million dollars!" Bella and Charlie yell in unison.

"Edward, no! You've got to get the money back. That's insane! It's…its extortion!"

"It's too late, Brown Eyes. We've already signed a contract; besides, I can't go back on my word. It's kind of frowned upon in the business sense, if you know what I mean."

"Christ! Do you ever answer you're damned phone! That damned phone has been the bane of my existence since we met."

I look down at my phone that's resting on the sofa and wonder why the tiny device has Bella raving like a mad woman.

"Bella, what's going on? I always thought the phone is what brought us together?" I joke.

"Not now, Edward. This is so not funny. If you'd called me or answered your phone, I could have told you that my dad turned himself in. That's why he's here. Tanya had nothing to hold over our heads any longer!"

"It doesn't matter." I shrug and pull her into my arms.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? You gave her one hundred million dollars to stop blackmailing you, just to protect me?"

"Bella, technically, I didn't give the money to her. I gave it to her father to save his company from bankruptcy. I would've helped him, no matter what. It's business, and in business we're loyal to our business associates. Being able to use what I found out to help us is a huge plus…the bonus…the cherry on top. We are free to be together. I don't care about the money.

"But…"

"No, listen, if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't an entirely unselfish move, and I'll make that money back…with interest.

"That's some hell of an interest, kid."

"Like I said, it was all worth it."

**_End of flashback._**

"Finally home," I sigh to myself and put the top up on my car. "You were perfect today, baby." I give it a gentle pat.

Bella is already inside. Her truck is parked in front.

_Damned woman. She refuses to let the thing die._

She still hasn't officially moved in, which doesn't sit well with me, but she's here practically day and night. I just need to be a little more patient, I'm confident that things will work out in the long run.

I head inside, waiting to be greeted by the loves of my life, but instead I'm irritated to see my home filled with a bunch of extra people, making an excessive amount of commotion.

My living room is swamped by people, Bella's classmates, best friend, roommate and my sister are all camped out, talking over one another. I look around, but don't see any sign of Bella. Alice is sitting on the floor playing with KC, and Rose looks like she's in full boss woman mode.

_What the fuck is going on? And where is, Bella? And why are all these people in my house?_

I slam my front door, hoping it will alert them to my presence, but they keep on talking amongst themselves, as if they've heard nothing.

_What the fuck? Hello!_

Just then, Bella appears from the kitchen, looking around in confusion. "Did you guys hear something?"

"Oh, that was just Edward," Rose waves a hand in the air dismissively.

"Just Edward? This is my house, Rose?" I snap.

"It's Bella's too," she replies quickly with slight annoyance and resumes talking to someone else.

"Not officially. She hasn't said the word yet, unless you know something that I don't," I glare at Bella as she hurries toward me.

"Edward, please not now, baby. I have so many things to do today. I'll control Rose, I promise," she pleads and gives me a quick peck on the lips and heads back into the swarm of people in my living room.

"Bella," I whisper angrily, pulling her back to me," what are all these people doing here? I've had a long day, with bullshit going on that I don't want to get into right now. All I want to do is relax, play with my daughter and spend the rest of the night making love to you. I can't do that with all these people here, Bella."

"I bet you can't, Casanova," Rose says sarcastically, appearing from behind us. "Can't keep it in your pants for five minutes, can you?"

"Rose!" Bella gasps.

"Don't you have a man of your own to torture, Rosebud? Or has Em finally come to his senses?"

"I could say the same about Bella?"

"Guys?" Bella begs. "Not today, please. I have to get KC a bottle. You two behave. I'm warning both of you."

The minute Bella is out of earshot, all bets are off.

"You are so selfish, do you know that? I can't believe sex is all you're thinking about at a time like this."

"Well, you wouldn't have known that if you weren't here in my house, Rose, and at a time like what? Why is Bella's entire school in my living room?"

"You idiot, don't you know what next week is?"

I narrow my eyes at her, and then it dawns on me.

_Fuck! Bella's graduating!_

"Of course, I know what next week is." I say irritably.

"I'm sure." She doesn't believe a word of it. "That's why we're all here…not because we like you or anything."

"Of course that has nothing to do with it," I say sarcastically and walk through the mob of people. They all ignore me, except for one, who as soon as she notices my presence, instantly squeals and reaches for me.

"Hey, baby girl! How's daddy's little sweetie?" I coo as I reach down and pick Kennedy up from Alice's lap. I can still feel Rose behind me as I kiss my daughter and rock her back and forth in my arms.

"What, Rose? Can I have some time to say hi to my daughter, or is it time for round two already?"

"Shut up, Edward. Your sister and I were just a little curious as to what you're planning for Bella's graduation?"

"I'm thinking a huge party," Alice stands up from the floor and chimes in.

"Were you? I mock, copying her excitement. "I was thinking of you and you minding your own damned business," I point at each of them and bounce KC in my arms as I make my way into the kitchen to get her bottle….the two of them still on my heels.

"Edward, come on! Bella's graduating from college! This is special. We have to do this for her!"

"Bella would hate it," I say matter of factly. "I'll figure something out."

"It had better not consist of you keeping her isolated from everyone. This is big. She should celebrate it with everyone," Rose adds.

"Isolated," I snort and decide not to react any further.

"How about a surprise graduation dinner?" Alice beams. "We could have it at Mom and Dad's since their place is huge…."

"Smidge..." I try to protest, but she keeps rattling on.

"And it could be a whole family thing with some of Bella's closest friends, and that way, you won't have to worry about it being something Bella will feel awkward about. This little sweetie will be able to attend as well," she smiles and rubs KC's head gently.

"You think a surprise dinner for Bella at Mom and Dad's house wouldn't be awkward?" I chuckle sarcastically. "Have you met Bella, or our mother for that matter, Smidge?"

"Nothing will go wrong, I promise. I'll take care of everything."

"I think it's a perfect idea," Rose adds approvingly.

"Perfect!" my sister squeals, clapping her hands together and causing KC to giggle. "This going to be a…

"Disaster," I finish and both women perch their hands on their hips and glare at me. "I want nothing to do with this shit. This little plan is all your guys' idea. Bella will hate it. " I turn and walk out of the kitchen.

"Dream killer!" My sister yells after me.

"You just make sure you show up with a tie on!" Rose barks, which causes me to flip her off and retreat to some secluded part of my house, away from all the drama.

On my way, I signal to Bella that I have KC and her bottle and that I'm going upstairs. She mouths a guilty 'thank you 'to me and blows a kiss at both of us as we disappear up the stairs.

"Looks like it just you and me, Minnie," I whisper to her as I get into a comfortable position on the bed, nestling myself into the huge pillows and offering her the warmed bottle of milk. She watches me with those identical green eyes the entire time she feeds.

She looks so different now…still like me, but more defined. Her hair is a full cloud of red curls that her mother keeps clipped to one side with a single barrette. Cheeks and legs even chubbier, and a smile that's always present…bright, a heart stopper. She's without a doubt, the most radiant child you've ever seen.

"Don't look at me like that, Minnie. Daddy knows it's a special day for Mommy…no matter what your wicked godmother thinks. I have a plan of my own," I whisper, leaning down to place a kiss on her nose. As if she in approval, she stops suckling and gives me one those heart stopping smiles, the bottle nipple still lodged in her mouth.

This is one of my favorite parts of the day…bonding with my daughter. I make sure spending time with her is the most consistent thing in my life. Each day, I'd come home to find her and Bella here waiting for me, even though they haven't officially moved in. Each day, I'd play with her and feed her in this very spot, falling asleep with her lying on my chest. Today is no different. While Bella's downstairs, dealing with the excitement and chaos of her upcoming graduation, the baby and I drift into a blissful father and daughter nap.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

_Edward is going to freak, _I think as I look around his living room. Usually, it's just Kennedy and me waiting for him when he comes home from work. Today, multiply KC, Edward and me by five, and throw in a drill sergeant named Rose, and this is what the day is shaping up to be.

_Graduation._

It's coming…next week to be exact_. Where has the time gone? Who would ever have thought that I would make it? _My mom, that's who, she would be so proud right now.

Edward's house is chaotic, with me and Angela running through her class valedictorian speech, and Charlotte and Peter trying to figure out what family members they're inviting to the ceremony.

I feel guilty when I see the look on his face as he stands in the foyer. He's exhausted, annoyed and obviously expecting to have a quiet evening alone with us. Add the fact that I'm dragging my feet on the whole 'moving in' subject, and I would say he isn't in the best of moods. I'll have to make it up to him later on this evening.

Alice and Rose are following him around the house, obviously badgering him about something. Before he takes KC upstairs, I see him flip Rose off, which isn't a good sign. Or is it? I guess if they weren't fighting, I'd be worried.

Once I finally finish up with all the graduation business and get the house cleared, I go upstairs. I should've known what I was going to see, and as soon I reach the bedroom, I melt. They're both completely conked out, snoring softly. This is their schedule each day. He'd come home, and she'd be so excited to see him. They would play, and he'd feed her, then they would both fall asleep. Today, I'm not going to miss the photo op. They look so adorable with Edward sprawled on his back, one arm wrapped protectively around her, and our baby girl resting soundly on his chest, sucking her pacifier. If that isn't cute enough, the way she has her tiny fist balled into the hair at the nape of his neck is an 'aww' moment for sure. I pull my cell from my back pocket, hoping that neither one of them moves or changes position. I zoom in closely and take a couple of shots. When I'm done, I linger against the doorframe briefly, just taking in the sight of them. We've gone through so much and come so far. Edward is finally divorced from Tanya, and we're moving forward as a family. He's turning out to be an amazing father. I mentally kick myself, over and over, for keeping the truth about KC's paternity from him in the beginning. How different things would have been.

Things between the two of us are pretty amazing as well. He's so supportive and incredibly romantic, always helping me study for exams and making sure I get enough rest when I'm completely burned out, spoiling me rotten with candlelit baths and full body massages.

He would come home from work early and pick KC up from daycare on the way. He makes sure we're all properly fed, including Sadie, each night…yeah; he had a separate fenced-in area built for her.

_Why am I postponing the inevitable? This man deserves a life with his daughter and the woman he loves._

I love him so much, and he's proven time and time again how much he loves us all. It's time to give him the answer he's waiting for. After graduation I'm going to tell Edward that we'll move in with him.

After my mind is made up, I tiptoe over to the bed and gently brush my lips over his and KC's forehead and quietly leave the room. I decide to get dinner ready for him for a change.

I stand in the kitchen in confusion, wondering what the hell to cook. Edward is the chef. The only thing I know how to make is boxed mac 'n' cheese. That has to change if I'm going to be moving in with him, but what the hell am I going to make now?

An idea suddenly comes to me, and I pad into the living room, grab my laptop and rush back to the kitchen. I type chicken recipes into the search engine. Hundreds of possibilities pop up, and I'm more confused than ever. I scan through the list of options and settle on one.

"Chicken Parm. How hard can that be?" I wonder aloud. I pull out the chicken breasts that Edward's already marinated. After cutting them into smaller halves, I get the milk and eggs and mix them together. I place a saucepan of water on to boil for the pasta, and I glance over to my laptop screen and read the next set of directions.

"Shit! I forgot the bread crumbs." I thought I was doing so well. I look around his immaculate kitchen as if breadcrumbs would just miraculously appear. I finally pull myself together, start checking cabinets and find breadcrumbs.

"Now let's get dirty, Bella." I coach myself.

When I've crumbed the chicken, I set them aside and turn the oven on. I just need to wait for it to reach the predetermined temperature. I guess I should have turned it on before I started preparing the chicken. _I'll learn._

"That was easy enough," I praise myself for actually getting it done without any major mishap.

I start on the vegetables while I wait and find some broccoli in the fridge that would be perfect.

Everything is turning out surprisingly well, I mean, I haven't burned the kitchen down. I silently I encourage myself to attempt to cook a new meal twice a week when I move in. I don't want to go crazy. I love Edward's cooking, and don't want to lose that.

"Something smells good," he pulls me from my thoughts. I spin around to see him standing in the archway with his hair still damp from the shower and spiky from excessive towel drying. He's wearing a pair of navy pajama bottoms and is bare-chested; except for the charm he wears around his neck…my charm.

Standing there like that in all his glory still isn't the thing that causes my heart to skip a beat. It's the sight of him with our freshly bathed and changed daughter in his arms that has me all aflutter.

"Look who's awake and all bathed and smelling sweet for Mommy?" He says as he nuzzles her.

"You bathed her?" I lean in and kiss them both. They both smell so good with their different fragrances.

"Say, yes Mommy, Minnie," he uses his best childlike voice. "And Daddy washed my hair too."

"Wow, did he now?" I reach up and fluff her damp curls. I giggle inwardly when I see that he's placed her barrette back in her hair the way I do each day. "Nice choice of pajamas, Daddy." I move to drain the pasta.

"Thanks. I figured the less I wear, the less you would have to take off me later." I turn around to see him waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"I meant KC's." I gesture at the pink and white all in one sleeper that he's chosen for her. It's embroidered with 'Edward's Little Angel'. I'm not sure whose idea they were, Alice's or his, but they make him happy.

"Minnie, Mommy's cooking. I wonder why? Did you crash the Jag?" He jokes as he sits KC in her carrier and grabs her pureed baby food from the fridge.

"I did not crash my car, smart ass. I just thought that since you two were sleeping so soundly, and because you always cook, that I would give you a break…for a day or so," I add. "Behave or it's the last time I'm doing this."

"Yes, Mommy."

* * *

**_EPOV_**

Much later, after we've had dinner, we play with KC to tire her out then put her to bed for the night. We're breathless and sweaty and fucking hard and wild on the edge of the bed…experimenting. My idea. Having her here with me every night is more than I could ever wish for. Suggesting that for our first sexual experiment we should fuck in front of a mirror is more than I bargained for. I can't take it. She feels so damned good and the position is driving me insane. We're both sitting upright on the edge of the bed while she rides me with abandon…facing the mirror, legs spread wide enough for me to watch as I slide in and out of her.

"Holy fuck," I swear at the sight. Her body is drenched. It looks delectable, and I roam my hands over every inch of it. Her hair is damp and wild, clinging to her face…her skin, bare shoulders, her neck.

_Christ! Look at how lost she gets while she's moving on top of me. So sexy._

"Mmmmm," I groan long and deep as she swivels her hips, "just like that, baby."

"Oh! Ahhh...Edward, baby are you close….Ohh! I'm so close….I'm gonna cum!"

"I'm so fucking close," I growl into her damp neck, feeling the coil in the pit of my stomach tighten. Her movements became frantic and jerky. She's ready to explode, and I'm going to help her to really detonate. Reaching down in between her legs, I feel around for the right spot, but touch where my cock is entering her.

"Shit!" I hiss loving how it feels. I look in the mirror and find the right spot and massage it gently, causing her entire body to break out in goosebumps. She likes when I touch her there while we make love.

"Ohhh…God!" She moans, throwing her head back. Massaging that sweet spot is enough for her to come apart, and I follow close behind. I erupt inside of her…violently.

"Fuck, Brown Eyes!" I wrap my arms around her convulsing body to secure her. Her feet point, trying to grip the carpet, barely touching the floor. I can't keep my eyes off the mirror, seeing myself buried inside her to the hilt is euphoric. I lazily smirk at our reflection. "Beautiful." My voice is raspy from exertion.

"What's…beautiful," she pants heavily. I tilt her head slightly so she'll look straight ahead into the mirror. Our eyes lock in the reflection once she opens her own.

"Us." I begin to move slowly again.

* * *

The next morning, I arrive at work feeling fucking refreshed and ready for business. Last night was perfect, and if Bella doesn't make up her mind about permanently moving in with me soon, I'm just going to have to go caveman on her.

_What the fuck is she waiting for? If last night isn't the perfect reason to move in, then I don't know what is._ I think back to how the entire evening played out while I ride the elevator to the boardroom floor. I curse myself when it finally dawns on me what I'm doing wrong as far as getting her to say yes to move in with me.

"Son of a bitch! How could I have been so stupid?"

"Sir?" My receptionist asks, puzzled as I stop by her desk.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't meant for you, Lauren."

"Is everything alright, Mr. Cullen?"

"No, but it will be. Do you remember Ginger, Lauren? She's a good friend of mine."

"Yes, Mr. Cullen."

"Good, get in touch with her and tell her that I need her services a.s.a.p. Send the jet for her, if needs be. Tell her I need her here by tomorrow at the latest. Give her any accommodations she may require. Don't take no for an answer, Lauren," I say finally before turning to walk back to the elevator.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen. Uh, Mr. Cullen, you have a meeting in an hour!" She calls after me.

"I'll make it back in time. Just make my father and brother aware, Lauren."

_You idiot, Cullen!_

I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out what to give Bella for her graduation, and it just came to me. After all this time, it finally makes sense.

* * *

**_~~~~W~~~~_**


	37. Chapter 37, Class of 2012

**Chapter 37**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_A/N: Warning: This chapter is a bit crazy and chock full of drama… so buckle up for a bumpy ride. Don't say you have not been warned!_**

**_EPOV_**

"This is the one Ginger," I announce proudly, holding up the ring I've chosen.

I wanted to buy her the biggest damned diamond I could find, but I knew that isn't Bella. I have to keep it simple, and I think I've found the perfect one.

_Who are you bullshitting, Cullen? This thing is amazing, if I say so myself._

She deserves the best and this should've been my first and only proposal. I'm going all out…4 carats, and a platinum setting. The yellow square-shaped diamond is accentuated with v shaped smaller diamond on either side. It's gorgeous.

"Wow!" Is all Ginger seems capable of saying as she stares at the ring.

"Wow is correct, Ginger, the perfect ring for the perfect woman. If my daughter could wear one, I would buy one for her too," I joke.

"She'll be knocked off her feet. She's a lucky woman, Edward."

I smile at her and continue to look at the ring. She has no idea that I'm the lucky one. I could've lost everything, hell I almost did. I'm the lucky one. In a few days, I would be proposing to Bella.

I pay Ginger for the ring and thank her for coming from Paris to provide me with her services. Soon after, I'm on my way to see someone very important.

* * *

"I see you found a good place here, Charlie." I look around after he invites me in.

"Yeah, it's homey and has plenty of land around." He offers me a beer and a seat on the couch.

"Planning on playing a lot of baseball, huh?" I chuckle.

"Damned straight. That baby girl of yours is going to be tough. I can't wait to teach her how to play."

We both sit at the same time, taking a swig from our beer bottles. I'm a bit lost for words at the moment, not sure how to bring up the subject of asking for his blessing to marry, Bella. Charlie and I have always had a good relationship, for the most part.

"The last time we were in this setting you told me you found out about my past discretions, and that you intended to break up with, Bella. I hope this visit is different?"

_Why the fuck am I so nervous?_

Instead of taking the usual approach a man would take in a situation like this, I do what I'm comfortable with.

I swallow the mouth full of beer I'm holding and dig in my pocket, placing the black velvet box on the table in front of us.

He eyes me then the box repeatedly, and I take another healthy swig.

"Is that what I think it is?" I nod, and he reaches over and picks it up.

"This is a ring?"

"Yes."

"Marriage?"

"Yes."

"To, Bella?"

I fix him with a look of annoyance and nod once.

"Shit, I meant Bella and marriage?"

"Yes, Charlie. I want to marry Bella, and I would like to ask for your blessing to do so."

He opens the box, and I watch his eyes bug out for a brief second.

"You're serious about this?"

"Yes."

"Damn, you don't pull any punches do you, kid? Look at this thing."

"What do you think?"

"I think this is a damned big rock, is what I think."

"Not the ring, Charlie," I sigh in exasperation, "what do you think about me proposing to her?"

He sighs heavily and closes the box.

"I think that Bella and the baby belong with you. I've always felt that way. I'm thinking what the hell took you so long?" He grabs hold of my hand and gives it a firm shake.

"You're giving me your blessing?"

"You've always had it. I knew the minute you left my house in Florida that you were perfect for her. Any man who would do what you did for my daughter, in my eyes, is a good man, and yeah, you have my blessing, Edward."

We both stand and our handshake turns into a quick, manly embrace with him slapping me firmly on the back.

"I may not be a cop anymore, but I'm still licensed to carry and fire if need be. You break her heart, and I'll bury you."

I cringe a little. "Point taken." I swallow the lump in my throat.

"Good! Welcome to the family, now go and put that rock on my daughter's finger."

I smile stiffly and nod as I head for the door.

"Oh, and I'm not going to ask her until this weekend after graduation, so if you could keep it hushed till then?"

"Don't worry, she won't hear it from me."

"Thanks Charlie."

_That went well. _

* * *

I still haven't figured out exactly where and how I'm going to propose, but I wanted to make sure it was okay with him before I actually made any plans. Bella's father is very important to her, and I know she'd appreciate that I've included him. I just hope when I tell my parents, that I get the same warm reaction from them.

I show up at their house later that evening. My father hasn't arrived home from work yet, but my mother is in the exercise room doing Pilates. This is the perfect opportunity to talk with her alone. We haven't been communicating as much since we had that argument a few months ago, but she's backed off bashing Bella considerably. At times I wonder if she's a little too quiet, maybe plotting something. I can't be sure.

"Hey, Mom," I call out softly as I enter and sit down on the weight bench.

"Oh, hi sweetheart," she pants and reaches for her towel and blots her damp face, before walking over and planting a kiss on my cheek. "Is my granddaughter here, too?" She beams as she always does at the thought of seeing KC.

"No, it's just me. I wanted to talk with you and Dad about something.

"Oh," her excitement deflates, "well your father isn't home from the office yet, but he called. He should be here shortly."

"I was hoping I could talk with you for a while first, Mom."

"Alright," she pauses and when she sees my serious expression, she sits down next to me, "is there anything wrong?"

I inhale deeply and decide to just spit it out.

"I'm asking Bella to marry me, and I'm not here for your approval. I know you don't like her, but I love her, and she makes me happy…happier than I've ever been. I just wanted you to know so it wouldn't come as a shock to you." I keep my voice firm, but I still feel like a child waiting for a parent's blessing.

"Are you done?" She huffs in irritation.

"Pretty much."

"So, you're not here for my approval?"

"No, I'm not." I look straight at her; I'm not backing down from this.

"Okay." It's barely a whisper, and her eyes well up.

We remain silent for a few minutes, before I finally get up to leave the room. For some reason, it feels like my chest is aching. I love my mother, but Bella is the love of my life.

"I would've given it to you." Her voice breaks from behind me.

I turn back to her, making sure my ears aren't deceiving me. I search her tearstained face for any signs of dishonestly, and I'm surprised to see none.

"I know I've done despicable things, and I don't deserve…." Her voice catches in her throat. "You don't need my permission…my blessing, but I would've given it to you. I _would _like to give it to you, Son."

I've never seen her like this. And I'm hopeful, but I still hold trepidation. I've wanted her blessing so much and for her to unreservedly accept Bella, but can I trust her after everything?

I walk over to her and stop just inches away. "Mom, I would love to have your blessing. More tears spill over, and her hand covers her quivering lips.

"Yes," she whispers happily, "Yes you have my blessing, Masen," she erupts into full-blown sobs and wraps her arms around me. "I love you so much, my son. I'm so sorry."

My arms encircle her as I comfort her. "I know, Mom."

"Esme, what's going on? I heard crying," my father barges into the room, frantically looking around.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Everything's alright." She chuckle with a sniff.

"Son?" I don't get a chance to respond.

"Our son is here to tell us that he's proposing to, Bella."

"Oh…well…that explains the crying." He looks back and forth between us, his expression cautious.

She purses her lips and glares at him momentarily. "I'm okay with it, Carlisle."

"You…are?" His voice is laced with skepticism and surprise.

"Yes, I am," she turns back to look at me with a reassuring look. "I will do whatever I can to welcome her, Edward. I promise."

"Thank you, Mom. Dad, what about you?"

"Son, you know how I feel about, Bella and the importance of family. You have one with her now. It's time to make it official," he breaks out into a huge grin. "Congratulations, Son. Bella is a beautiful and special young woman."

"Yes, she is. Let's just hope she says yes," I chuckle nervously as he pulls me into a hug.

"She will. She loves you," my mother adds. "Besides, who can resist the Cullens?" She gloats triumphantly, causing us to erupt into laughter and share in a family hug.

_This is going to happen._

* * *

The next day, James and I are sitting in my office, laughing and joking about random shit. We're waiting for Alice and Rosalie to show up so I can get the hell out of this office and home to my future wife and daughter. I know they'll be there, waiting.

"I think I'll ask Angela to come with me to Bella's surprise dinner. What do you think?"

"I think if she says yes she needs her head examined," I reply dryly with a laugh.

"I think you might be right," he adds with a laugh of his own. "I could say the same to you, bro. When are you popping the big question, anyway?"

"I've decided to ask her at the party. I'm waiting on frick and frack to get here now so I can tell them the news."

As if on cue, they came sashaying through the door.

"Hey, brothers," Alice greets enthusiastically.

"Smidge and Rosebud, just the two women I'm waiting to see."

"You called us here, you jackass." Rose rolls her eyes.

"Rosie, you're looking sexy as hell," James comments, his eyes roaming her frame.

"Don't make me call Emmett, James," she responds in annoyance.

"That's a great idea!" I beam. "Call Em and tell him to escort you to Bella's surprise party on Friday night," I exclaim.

"Wait, so now you're all gung ho about the surprise party? What gives, Cullen?"

I can't contain the stupid grin that's plastered across my face. I walk over to her and grab her face, kissing her squarely on the mouth. It shocks the hell out of her. "It's an excellent idea, Rosebud."

"Have you taken leave of your senses? What the hell was that for?" She gapes at me. I laugh and walk over to Alice and plant an identical kiss on her.

"Edward! What's wrong with you?"

"I'm asking Bella to marry me, and I'm doing it at the little party you're planning for her." Her eyes practically pop out of her head.

"You're kidding!" She finally shouts and looks over at Rose who's still gaping. Then they squeal in unison and start jumping up and down.

"Oh my God! You finally got it right, you dumb bastard!" Rose runs over and throws her arms around my neck.

"Gee, thanks."

"I mean, what took you so long? Well I know_ who _took you so long, but I meant what took you so long!" She playfully punches me in the chest.

"Are you going to make the party fabulous, or what?" I ignore her comments and look back and forth between the two of them.

"We've got it covered," Alice adds grinning confidently.

"Good, it's going to be a surprise so you'll have to take her shopping and get her to Mom and Dad's all on your own."

"We've got this, don't worry, "Rose reassures me and grabs Alice by the arm, dragging her out of the office.

"Angela is expecting you to ask her to the party!" she yells as the door closes, signaling to James.

"I guess you're roped in now, man." I smirk.

"I could say the same about you, brother," he laughs with a gentle punch to my midsection.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

**_Graduation eve…._**

"What are you up to?" Bella eyes me skeptically with those beautiful orbs that have had me since day one.

"Nothing," I retort with a small smirk.

It isn't even eight p.m. yet, and we're lounging in bed. KC is asleep in-between us, and we're both stroking her hair.

"You're such a crappy liar. Tell me!" She whines.

"You'll see tomorrow. I have a surprise for your graduation, and _no_ I'm not telling you what it is until then. I don't care how hard you bat your eyelashes or how much it affects me, Brown Eyes."

"Ughh! Okay fine, but since you won't tell me, I won't let you touch me until then," she pouts and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Are you serious? Using sex as a way to punish me for not telling you about my surprise for you?" I mock astonishment. "Man, you are so lucky Minnie is here in this room right now, Bella, because I would show you just what I would do to you if you tried to keep me from touching you," I drop my voice and lean over to lick the shell of her ear.

"Tell me what you would do, Edward?"

"I would…." I scoot closer and whisper the raunchiest things I can think of in her ear, all the while sucking and nibbling. I smirk when I feel her thighs clamp together and rub against each other. The way her breath hitches doesn't pass my notice either.

"You like that?" I whisper.

"Hmmm…umm...I–I have to go downstairs to get something. I'll be back in a second," she squeaks, hopping off the bed when she notices where my hand is headed.

"I bet you do, Swan," I chuckle smugly, pleased with myself. "Don't change those panties either."

"You jerk, you did that on purpose." She laughs and leaves the room.

"Hurry back so we can start on '_thing number one I would do to Bella.'_

She pokes her head back in the room and gives me a look that says 'you're so full of shit' just before finally leaving.

_You're going to hell, Daddy. That's what your daughter would say if she could talk._

"I'll be good, Minnie. I'll be good until I give Mommy the surprise, then all bets are off. I'm going to give you a little brother or sister," I whisper to my sleeping angel. I know that I'm getting ahead of myself, but I want more kids with Bella. Shit, I want a tribe. I can't wait to get started on our life together.

Once Bella graduates I know that she'll want to continue her education and start on her career. She's still very young…we both are, and I won't pressure her into having more children so soon, but I feel that it's important to have children close together in age like my siblings and I are. I don't want Kennedy to grow up alone. There'll be plenty of time to work on that though.

"I could get used to this," I yawn and stretch out next to my daughter, careful not to jar the bed and disturb her sleep.

"Could you?" Bella asks as she returns to the bedroom with a huge, wrapped box in her hands.

"I definitely could. Whatcha got there? It's not my birthday."

"It's a _surprise_, "she snarks, imitating my voice from earlier.

She walks over and sits down beside me, and I sit up as she places the box in my lap.

"What is this?" I'm excited and curious.

"Open it."

I tear into the box like a kid on Christmas, before the words have even left her mouth. It's a portrait of KC and me painted in sepia tones. I look back at her, both overjoyed and confused.

"It took me three separate occasions to get the picture just right. Either you or KC would stir in your sleep, and I would lose the position. I was finally able to snap the shot and get it to the art studio for the painter. Do you like it?"

"Bella," I pause trying to find words to express what I'm feeling. "Baby, it's perfect. I love it so much."

"The answer is yes, Edward." She catches me off guard.

"The answer is yes?" I'm baffled at first, but a thought suddenly occurs.

_Those cackling bitches! They told her! Wait till I get my hands on…_

"I was going to wait until after graduation tomorrow, but I think I've waited long enough. Yes, I'll move in with you."

_Oh. Ohhh!_

"You will?"

"Yes."

I'm happy, but I can't let on that I was planning for something a bit more permanent than us just living together.

"That's great, baby," I reach over, cup her cheek and place a kiss on her lips.

"_That's great baby?_ That isn't the reaction I was hoping for. Don't you still want us to move in, Edward?"

_Shit! Put on an act of some kind, Cullen._

"Of course I do! The two of you moving in would make me the happiest man in the world. I'm ecstatic, Brown Eyes, and I can't wait to get you two all moved in," I reassure her with another kiss, lengthening it this time. "I love you both so much, and I love this too. I know exactly where I'm going to put it," I gesture to the painting.

"I'm glad you like it, and I'm free after tomorrow, so you can help move us in anytime you're ready," she sighs.

"The big day is tomorrow. Are you nervous?" I set the picture aside and turn so that I can massage her shoulders.

"Mmmm, no. Although, I am nervous about the plans your sister and Rose have for Angela and me tomorrow night. I just can't wait to get it over with and move on with the next phase of my life…a life with you and KC," she moans in satisfaction as she snuggles her head into the crook of my neck.

"Funny, I was thinking the exact thing."

* * *

**_Friday, Graduation Morning…._**

Once again my living room is a place of chaos. In fact, my entire house is swamped with people. My entire family is attending Bella's graduation. My mother and Alice, along with Jasper and James are downstairs with Kennedy. I'm upstairs, waiting for Bella to emerge from the bathroom.

_Not nervous, my ass._

"Bella!" I bang on the door. "Bella, come on. It's nine thirty!"

"I'm coming!"

_Christ, women._

As I head downstairs, Rose enters the house. She immediately walks over and kisses KC and then starts.

"Why isn't she dressed, it's nine thirty!"

"Well, she needed to eat breakfast and play a little, so we didn't want her little dress to get food on it, Rose, calm down," Alice speaks up, whisking KC away, I assume to get changed.

"Where's Em?" I ask?

"He's working. He'll be at the party tonight."

"Is everything all set?" I button the sleeves of my shirt.

"Everything is perfect. Bella will be so surprised. Alice, your mom and I did a fabulous job. I can't wait."

"Okay. Thanks, Rosebud…for everything. I know we haven't been seeing eye-to-eye…"

'Forget about it. I've been a bitch, and I'm sorry. I'm just really protective of Bella. She really helped me out of a tough situation…she practically saved my life. I owe her," she confesses with a shrug. "Just make her happy, Edward."

"It's all I want to do. Am I forgiven?" She glares at me with the corners of her lips turning up slightly.

"I'll forgive you if you forgive me," she holds out her palm for me to shake.

"What the fuck is this, a handshake? Get over here!" I growl playfully and pull her into a bear hug. While Rose and I are burying the hatchet, Charlie arrives.

"Charlie!" I call from over Rose's Shoulder, "over here, Bella's not ready yet."

"Where's my granddaughter?"

"My mother and sister are getting her ready."

"I'll go help them," Rose announces and heads off.

"So, tonight's the big night?" He looks around to make sure no one is listening.

"Yeah, after the graduation and later on this evening, I'll ask her to marry me."

"How fancy is this party going to be? He clears his throat.

"Well, my sister and Rose are the ringleaders, so I'm guessing it's pretty fancy and given that it's at my parents' home, I'm sure they've gone overboard," I laugh heartily.

"Christ…Bella will love that," he jokes.

Like Charlie, I know Bella will be overwhelmed with the whole surprise party thing, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the night will turn out to be amazing.

"There she is!" Charlie announces happily, putting his fingers to his lips letting out a sharp whistle. "There's my baby girl…the graduate!"

We all turn towards the staircase and focus in on Bella who's sporting her graduation cap with the robe draped over her arm.

My mom and sister also bring KC back into the room, dressed adorably in a lavender frilly dress with mint green embroidery.

I smile lovingly at Bella, who curtsies and rolls her eyes playfully when we all start to clap for her.

As she descends the stairs, she hurries right over to our daughter and gushes about how adorable she looks.

_She does look adorable. _

"Mommy's little angel, hi sweetie!" She coos and takes her from my mother's arms. She kisses her repeatedly as her as she walks over to where Charlie and I are standing.

"Kennedy, say hi to Grandpa and Daddy. Isn't she gorgeous in her little dress?" When they reach us, I lean over and kiss first Bella then Kennedy on the head.

"Both of my girls are gorgeous, ain't that right, pumpkin?" Charlie agrees, pulling Bella into a hug, careful not to hurt KC. Bella hands her over to him. "Come on, baby girl, come for a walk with Grandpa," he bounces her in his arms and heads towards the front door.

Bella sighs happily and turns to me. She looks beautiful, older somehow…like a young woman getting ready to graduate from college …a mother… my wife. I smile down at her and fix the tassel on her cap.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You,"

"Your mother's here," she whispers with a worried look on her face.

"Yes she is, and she will be attending the ceremony, along with my father if that's alright with you?" I ask, sweeping her hair behind her shoulders.

"I don't mind, but how did you manage to get her to…"

"I'll tell you all about it later," I murmur against her lips. "Let's go and collect that degree." I link my fingers with hers and head out of the door. Everyone else has already made their way to their respective cars. The day's started, and I can't wait until we get to the best part.

* * *

**_BPOV_**

_This is it! In approximately three hours, I'll be a college graduate._

I'm in the bathroom hyperventilating after telling everyone I know that I'm not nervous.

_Shit, get a hold of yourself, Bella._

My sub-conscious seems to be losing the battle. I don't know what I'm more nervous about, walking up onstage and falling flat on my face or following through with moving in with Edward.

I love him…plain and simple, but I know once I walk off that stage and the ceremony ends, a new phase of my life would be beginning.

I'm happy, excited and scared shitless.

I'm not afraid of Edward. I know he'll make KC and me happy. He already does. I'm afraid of failing at the whole live-in girlfriend thing. I barely cook, and Edward does almost everything domestically. What would I contribute? I'm not just moving in with our child, I'll be bringing Sadie along too. He's definitely giving more in this relationship. I know that I'm being ridiculous, but this is the fight I'm having three hours before I'm supposed to graduate.

I finally get myself together, and Edward practically rushes me out of the bathroom. I head downstairs to join him and KC, and find a roomful of people waiting for me. My father whoops and whistles as I travel the length of the staircase.

I'm surprised to see Edward's mother here, today of all days. We haven't had any unpleasant run-ins in a long while, and surprisingly, she has been rather supportive of my relationship with her son. I'm still very careful about trusting her.

Seeing everyone calms my nerves a little, but it isn't until I see two faces that I feel truly secure…Edward's smiling face and my baby girl, looking beautiful in her dress. The dress looks like it's made for a princess… my princess. The mint green sash ties around the back into a big adorable bow. She looks beautiful. Her aunt sure does keep her looking fabulous.

I rush to her immediately and smother her with kisses, loving how the silky, soft feel of her cheek feels against my lips. She's my world.

After my father takes KC to the car, I have a little time alone with, Edward. He's being so sweet and affectionate, making sure I look my best before graduation. He's a dream. How did I ever find this man?

"Let's go collect that degree," he whispers against my lips and links our fingers together, ushering us to the door and into the beginning of our new life together.

* * *

Listening to speech after speech begins to feel like I'm trapped underwater. The ceremony is unbelievably long. Peter and Charlotte are whispering happily between themselves and occasionally pulling me into the conversation, but I'm too focused on the sight before me...the crowd of family and friends here to celebrate with all the graduates. I finally find Edward in the crowd, and he's smiling at me and bouncing our baby girl in his arms, discreetly pointing in my direction. I blow them both a kiss then look over to my dad. I know that he's probably bored to death, but his expression belies that fact. He looks proud and content. He's obviously happy and nods his approval as Angela, class valedictorian and my best friend, delivers her speech, she's so amazing.

"Good morning, my fellow graduates, staff, parents and friends. Today is a day that we will keep in our hearts forever …graduation, the gateway to our future. I wrote and rewrote this speech about ten times before I realized that I don't need to make some grand speech, all I need to do is to be true to myself and the words would come to me." She turns and looks to me for reassurance, then crumbles the sheet of paper in front of her. The class cheers, and she continues.

"Thinking back to high school, I'm sure all of my classmates would agree, I didn't ever think that I would take college as seriously as I did. I thought, college, great place to party!"

Random 'yeah's and woohoo's erupt for a brief moment, and we all enjoy a laugh.

"But once I got here, I realized, this isn't about partying. This is about finding yourself, creating yourself - becoming who you're meant to be. Figuring out what you want to be in life and being the very best you can be."

Charlotte, Peter and I nod and share a knowing look. We all had individual life altering experiences that we identify with in Angela's speech. My eyes pan back out into the crowd and land on Edward and our daughter. They're my life and my future. I think about my dad, and all he did to make sure I could arrive at this moment. My mother – I think of my mom, this is what she wanted for me. I imagine that her face, if she had been sitting next to my father, would have tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks, her hand linked with his. I sigh contently. I'm finally able to say the words.

_I did it, Mom. You can rest in peace._

"Now we're trained, we can be what we want to be, _who _we want to be. As the famous T.S. Elliot said, "In my end is my beginning." She finishes and the entire class erupts in cheers and applause.

President Burdy comes up to congratulate Angela with a hug and proceeds to give the farewell speech.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud and honored to present the graduating class of 2012. Graduates of UIC please stand." The excitement is clear in his voice, knowing that this is it. This is the moment, our moment. We oblige and stand in unison. "Will the graduates please commemorate this moment of leaving the nest and branching out into a world where the possibilities are endless by moving your tassels from the left…to the right."

We switch our tassels the way we rehearsed. Tear fall from my eyes, and the butterflies in my stomach seem to multiply.

"Congratulations UIC's class of 2012!"

At those words, we toss our caps in the air and the class, along with family, friends and the staff of UIC erupt in cheering.

_I made it._

* * *

_ ~~~W~~~_


	38. Chapter 38, Surprise, Suprise!

**Chapter 38**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: It's still the same after all this time. I don't own Twilight. (No matter how many times we write fics *shrugs*)_**

**_Five hours until the surprise party…_**

**_EPOV_**

"So what about Beluga?"

"Bella hates caviar, Mom," I glare at her and Rose as they throw together last minute appetizer ideas for Bella's surprise dinner party.

"Well, I know sweetheart, but maybe the other guests will enjoy it?" She eagerly waits for confirmation.

"Fine, but make sure Bella's favorite foods are included. This day is for her," I warn as I leave the kitchen to check on how my sister is coming along with the decorating.

"Okay, Rose, so we're doing Beluga, Avocado Shrimp Ceviche and the mini crab cakes, the ones Bella loves, correct?"

"Sounds good to me." They agree and a wave of comfort washes over me. I'm relieved that they aren't killing each other over who's in charge. It wouldn't be pretty. For the most part, my mother and Rose get along well, but they're both alpha females, so it could go from zero to sixty in a matter of minutes.

"Don't forget the cheese puffs!" I yell over my shoulder.

"Bella doesn't like cheese puffs," Alice says calmly from the ladder she's perched on.

"I know this, they're for me." I wink at her. "What can I help with?" I clap my hands together enthusiastically.

"Don't touch anything! You'll ruin my hard work," she yells in alarm. I frown at her typically anal behavior. When it comes down to this decorating and planning shit she can be a pain in the ass, so I decide to leave her alone while she's in her element.

"Fine, you don't want nor need my help, I'll just go and find something else to do. It looks good though, Smidge."

"Thanks, now get outta here."

"Jeez, how does Jasper put up with your bitchiness?" I half joke.

"Shut up, Edward."

I laugh heartily and decide that since the women don't want me around, I'd go into the office for a couple of hours.

I grab my keys and head out.

Once in my car, I give Bella a call to see how her day is going. She's so happy today. She's graduated from college, and tonight I hope I can make _all_ her dreams come true. She answers on the first ring.

"Hey, you."

"Hi," she replies calmly, yet sounds relieved to hear my voice.

"How's my newly graduated woman?" I chuckle.

"I'm fine, except for agreeing to this ridiculous girls' night out with your sister and my best friend. I would much rather be spending the time with you. Besides, I have a lot of packing up to do."

"You have plenty of time to pack, baby. You deserve a fun night out with your friends," I encourage. "I can't wait to see how beautiful you look tonight." I regret the words once they're out of my mouth.

_Shit!_

"Well, I may have to take a picture of myself for you. Rose tells me we're going to be out all night. I don't know if we're going to get to see each other tonight," she says sadly. I breathe a sigh of relief at not having given away the secret.

"You just make sure you have a great time tonight. Find the most gorgeous dress you can, get all dolled up, and enjoy yourself."

"Okay," she breathes. There's a brief silence.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"We have the rest of our lives to be together," I add confidently.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, Brown Eyes."

I hold onto the phone for a while after we've hung up. I can't contain my smile. Tonight's the night.

_She's going to be my wife._

* * *

**_Six forty-five, Friday evening…._**

_Shit! Smidge really outdid herself._ I look around at the black, white and silver décor. She really did a fantastic job.

_Another hour or so, and Bella will be here, and things between us will change._

I walk further into the house, and no one seems to realize that I've arrived. The house is totally silent, decorated beautifully and the smell of delicious food wafts through the air.

I'm dressed per Rose and Alice's instructions, well, basically threat rather than instructions really. They want the entire night to be a black and white event, which means all the décor and guests are fitted out in those colors, with Bella the only one wearing all white. Go figure - a prelude to her future wedding maybe?

Bella would look breathtaking, no matter what color she decides to wear.

Straightening the cuff of my shirt for about the tenth time, I walk over to the antique mirror in the entranceway and check my attire. When I'm satisfied, I check my pocket for the ring. I slip the black velvet box from my pocket and open it for a last minute confirmation that I chose the perfect ring.

"Oh my goodness, is that the ring?" my mother gasps as she descends the stairs, looking lovely as ever in a long, black chiffon gown.

I look up at her as my smile spreads across my face, and I nod, allowing her to take the box from my hand.

"What do you think?" I ask nervously, rubbing the back of my neck.

"In a word…magnificent, sweetheart." She shakes her head in awe. "Bella will be blown away."

"You don't think it's too much? I mean, Bella's a simple young woman, and I don't want to completely overwhelm her."

She continues to gaze at the ring. "Well, it is extraordinary, and Bella is…." Her words trail off, and she immediately looks at me to gauge my reaction, "Bella is a very proud and humble young woman," she says, choosing her words carefully, "and I think that she loves you so much that she will allow you to indulge in spoiling her a bit." She holds her index finger and thumb closely together and chuckles.

"Just a bit," I mimic her gesture, and she reaches up to place a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm so excited for you, Edward… I truly am."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Your sister is on her way with Kennedy. By the way, how do you like the décor? She did a fabulous job, I think."

"It's amazing. Smidge really went above and beyond."

"She loves you and Bella, and after everything you two have gone through, she wants both of you to be happy. So do I, Edward," She admits sincerely.

I believe her for the first time in a long time. I believe she wants me to be happy…with Bella. I just wish she would allow her exterior to melt in the same way for my sister, and even James. Although, I'm sure she'll flip once she sees whom he's bringing to the party.

James and Angela aren't a couple, they're just enjoying each other's company. They've been out on a few dates, and he seems to be really intrigued by her. Point blank, she doesn't put up with his macho womanizing bullshit and sees through the façade. I hope that their friendship will continue to grow into something meaningful. I want my brother to find happiness the same as I have.

Alice's situation is different. My mother despises Jasper…well, not so much him per se, she hates the fact that Jasper turned his back on his birthright, depriving Alice of a life she feels she deserves to have.

I agree about the whole turning his back on the business thing to some extent, even though, I for one, can understand not wanting to be controlled by family for the sake of 'legacy'. He loves my sister unconditionally, despite my and his parents' thinking.

"Smidge has turned out to be an amazing young woman, Mom."

"She has," she brushes away a nonexistent particle from my lapel.

"Jasper is good guy, too."

"Mmmhmm," she answers, and I smile at her attempt to avoid eye contact with me.

"So, do you think you could soften a little for them too?"

"Don't push your luck, Masen." She smirks, kissing me once again and disappears down the hall, mentioning something about checking in with the chefs to see how the hors d'oeuvres are coming along.

_Dodge._

I sigh and place the ring back in my pocket and walk to my father's study to give Bella a quick call just to hear her voice before everyone starts to arrive.

My father is seated behind his desk, partially dressed in his shirt and slacks to his tux; his tie hangs undone around his neck.

He removes his glasses and shuts off his computer, then smiles at me.

"Old habits die hard," I take a seat on the edge of his desk.

"Yes they do, but I promised your mother no work at all today and …"

"You lied," I chuckle.

"Guilty," he admits and hangs his head in mock shame. "But I'm done. Tonight is a night for celebration…for you and Bella," he announces proudly, standing from his desk and expertly tying his tie without the aid of a mirror.

"Have you spoken to Bella?"

"Not since earlier, I was just about to give her a call."

"She glowed at the graduation ceremony."

"That she did," I agree and help with his tux jacket.

"Veterinarian, huh?"

"Yes, a doctor," I add proudly.

"It fits her perfectly," he says as we walk out of his study together. I decide on calling Bella a little later once I'm alone.

The dining area is set and the staff serves guests that have arrived wine and hors d'oeuvres. My mother and father mingle, while I diligently check my watch.

_Any minute now._

This is an intimate dinner for family and close friends. There are a few random guests in attendance that I had to be reassured about attending. My sister has hired a photographer, which I was against at first, but I finally caved. I want the world to know that, I, Edward Cullen, am marrying the woman of my dreams.

My sister and Jasper arrive with Emmett and Rose, and I walk briskly over to greet them.

"Em, Jazz, hey. I'm glad you both could make it." I shake hands with them.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, man." Emmett gently claps me on the back.

"Thanks for inviting me, Edward," Jasper replies calmly.

Jasper and I aren't close, but we get along. He loves and is loyal to his sister, but Tanya treats him the same as his parents do …as an outcast.

I excuse myself from Emmett and the women and pull Jasper to the side.

"Listen, I know this is awkward for you to be here, given the circumstances…"

"Let me stop you right there, Edward. I love my sister, I do, but I didn't agree with the whole 'arranged marriage' thing. Two people should marry for love, and love only, in my opinion. I know you never meant to hurt, Tanya, and I know what you did for my family in the grand scheme of things. Despite how my family feels about me, I love them."

"How is she?" I ask, referring to, Tanya.

"I don't know. I've only seen her a couple of times, and she doesn't say much. I saw her just a couple days ago. She seems," he pauses, searching for the right words, "she seems to be coping and moving on; although she never leaves that house other than to go to work." He shrugs again.

I nod and decide not to pry any further. I harbor no bad feelings toward Tanya. We were both caught up in a stressful situation, and the only thing that would bring us both any kind of peace was to move forward.

Jasper and I shake hands once more and walk back to Emmett, Rose, and Alice. James enters with Angela on his arm just as we reach the others. I'm glad to see that she agreed to come with him. It's important for her to be here.

"Hey bro." we embrace briefly, and he kisses Rose and Alice's cheek before shaking Jasper and Emmett's hands. The females all gush over what the others are wearing.

"Smidgy, you did all this? James asks in surprise.

"Yes, I did, brother. I told you I had skills, and if you play your cards right, I will give you the family discount when I plan a particular party for you," she winks at him, Angela's completely unaware. She doesn't know about me asking Bella to marry me tonight; or so I thought, until I notice her blush as she looks at me.

_Cackling females._

"On that note, I think I need champagne." James signals one of the waiters. "You want champagne, sweetheart," he turns to Angela, and she graciously takes the glass from his hand.

She doesn't seem like my brother's type, but she looks rather pretty dressed up… a little hot even.

"Where's Minnie?" I ask my sister as the others follow James' lead and go for champagne.

"I had Irina take her and put her down for a nap in one of the rooms when we arrived. The little sweetheart was completely conked out." She pouts playfully. "She's such a sweetie, Edward. I can't wait to have one just like her."

"Ummm, is there something you're trying to tell me, Smidge?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you and Jasper, are you guys…."

"No! God no, it's too soon for that," she shrieks in horror.

"Are you sure? I mean, you're not going to make some major declaration at my engagement dinner are you?" I joke, referring to the incident at the Denali's charity dinner.

"Oh shut up. I promise I'm not going to upstage your and Bella's night. She's going to look so stunning, by the way. Rose, Angela and I helped her pick out the most gorgeous dress! I can't wait until we pick her up."

"Yeah, about that, what time are you guys going to get her? I mean, damn, it's almost nightfall, Smidge."

"Stop exaggerating and keep your shirt on," she scoffs sarcastically and calls for Rose.

"I just called, Bella," Rose walks toward us with her cell in her hand. "She said she'd be ready in twenty minutes."

Just then, I notice my mother approaching me with KC in her arms. She's an adorable vision in silver frilliness.

"I think she wants her daddy or her mommy. She's a bit fussy. I heard her crying over the monitor." She hands her over to me, and KC's eyes light up as she leans her soft cheek against mine.

"Come here, daddy's best girl. Look at you. You look like a precious angel." I coo and stroke her back softly. " Where's her elephant?" I look at my mother.

"I handed it to Irina when she took for her for her nap. I'll go and get it," Alice chimes in.

"No, no, you and you go and get, Bella." I motion to her and Rose. " I'll get Minnie's elephant. Come on, sweetheart. When I come back from putting her to sleep, I expect to see my future fiancé standing in this very spot, or in some part of this house." I demand over my shoulder.

"Seriously, Edward? We have to drive halfway across town and back," Rose scoffs.

"Yeah, so you better get a move on!"

* * *

**_Seven-fifteen p.m…._**

"This is a wonderful party, but where's the lovely guest of honor?"

"Hello, Ms. Cope. I'm so glad you could make it, and Bella will be so happy to see you when she arrives." I check my watch. "She should be here shortly," I add with a warm smile, gently touching her shoulder in reassurance.

_Once Rose and Alice finally got their asses here._

"Well, I hope so. I really would like to catch up with her."

"The two of you will have plenty of time to catch up Ms. Cope, will you excuse me?" I make my way over to the foyer when I see Charlie entering.

"Charlie, hey."

"Edward," he grasps my hand firmly. "Is Bella here yet?"

"No, my sister and Rose went to pick her up. They should be here soon."

He nods and looks around.

"Nice place your parents have here."

"Yeah." We stand in awkward silence, barely making eye contact, hands shoved into our trouser pockets.

"I didn't get much of a chance to speak with them during the graduation ceremony," he adds, clearing his throat.

"Well, there will be more than enough time this evening and hereafter." I rock back on my heels.

As we stand quietly looking into the sea of guests, I notice just how nervous we both are.

"I'm trying to picture Bella fitting into all this," his brows furrow slightly.

"I'm going to make her happy, Charlie. I promise."

He turns to me with a look, which tells me that he's battling with himself.

"Okay, kid. I believe you." he concedes and pats me on the back. "Where's my granddaughter?"

"I put her down in one of the rooms to take a nap." I say distractedly as I notice the person just arriving.

"Which way is it?" He asks.

"Down the hall to your left, excuse me for a moment, Charlie." I quickly make my way to the foyer.

_Son of a bitch!_

"Whoa there, little brother, calm down." James steps in front of me, halting my advance.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" I grit out between my teeth and try pushing past him.

"He's Bella's friend, and she would want him here," he reasons.

_What a crock of bullshit!_

"We'll see about that."

He stands arrogantly; all dressed up in a suit and tie in my parents' home as if we're best friends. I know that he's Bella's friend, but every time I look at him, I only see one thing. I know Bella told me the person I saw him with that night wasn't her, but for some reason, I can't get the images and belief that it was her, out of my head. She has no reason to lie…or has she?

_Fuck yes; she has a reason to lie, because she knows I'd stuff my fist down his throat if I knew the truth._

"Get out of the way, James," I say calmly.

"I'm sorry, little bro, I can't do that for a number of reasons."

Angela catches a glimpse of my obviously murderous state, makes the connection, and she comes hurrying over to us.

"Edward, calm down. Jake is not here to cause trouble. He's just here to celebrate our graduation with us."

"Who invited him? Was it Rose? Of course it was. She's always trying to annoy me in some way. I'll strangle her."

"Edward, stop. It wasn't Rose. I invited him. He's Bella's friend, and as much as you hate it, he was there for her during one of her toughest times. He needs to be here. Bella would be hurt if he wasn't."

"Fine! But he better not ruin my night." I try to reign in my anger.

"He won't. Besides, he brought his girlfriend Emily with him, if that's any consolation to you."

_Emily, the girl Bella mentioned?_

I peer over James's shoulder and see a petite dark-haired girl link her fingers with his. She's about Bella's height, dark eyes, but not like my _Brown Eyes._

I guess with the dense fog and frame of mind I was in that night, I could easily have mistaken her for Bella, but I still don't like that asshole.

"You cool?" James' voice is laced with humor.

"I'm good. I just wish Alice and Rose would hurry back with, Bella," I answer, while still glaring at Jake.

* * *

I'm getting anxious. It's a quarter to eight and Rose and Alice aren't back with Bella yet, and I've received no calls on my cell. I seem to be the only one really worried. Everyone keeps reassuring me that it's just my nerves and anxiety that's getting to me, but I'm feeling really uneasy.

"Angela, where the hell are Rose and Alice? Have you heard from them?"

"I haven't since they left. I'm sure they'll be here soon, Edward."

"If they're not here in the next ten minutes, I'm going to get Bella myself, surprise marriage proposal be damned."

I watch as Angela and Jake's faces morph into astonishment.

_Nope, she didn't know._

"Marriage proposal? Oh my God, Edward!" She gasps.

"Well, I can't ask her if she's not here, can I?" I yell sarcastically.

"You're going to ask her to marry you?"

"It's the plan, Angela… that is, if your friend ever gets here."

"Maybe Bella knows something we don't," Jake mumbles and takes a swig of champagne.

_All bets are off._

"You got something to say, Jake?"

"I said, maybe Bella knows something we don't," he repeats, narrowing his eyes at me.

"And what would that be,_ Jake_?" I spit his name like it's filth and square my shoulders as I step in his direction. His date's eyes become wide as she witnesses our hatred for each other.

"You two, don't start, _please_?" Angela intervenes, grabbing me by the arm and ushering me away.

Guests are starting to become just as antsy as I am, I notice. They don't miss the mini exchange between Jake and me. It wasn't major, but enough to get them talking.

"Will you keep your brother away from Jake until I can find out where Rose and Alice are with Bella?" Angela turns to James once we're on the other side of the room.

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him. What did you do?" He asks in an obvious tone.

"That guy's a douche," I grab a glass of white wine, downing it quickly and reach for another.

"Are you going to get plowed before Bella gets here? Slow down, man."

"Something's off. I can feel it. What if she found out about the proposal and freaked out. What if she doesn't want to marry me?"

"You're paranoid, man. Bella loves you. And although I'm sure she would be a little nervous about the whole marriage thing, I know she wants to spend the rest of her life with your crazy ass."

"Then where the fuck is she?" I ask agitatedly, my voice louder than I meant it to be.

"What's wrong?" My mother probes as she approaches us. "Why hasn't Rose and Alice showed up with Bella? It's almost eight."

"That's it, I'm calling her." I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. My brother stops me mid-dial.

"They'll be here. You're going to ruin everything if you call. Just give them a couple more minutes." He tries to reassure me, but my gut is telling me something isn't right, yet I nod and walk away. I have the sudden urge to hold my daughter.

I stride up to Charlie and my father who look to be having a peaceful conversation about their granddaughter. Charlie's holding Kennedy, and my father's playing with her.

"Hey, son."

"Hey," I acknowledge curtly. "Charlie do you mind if I take Kennedy for little while?"

"Not at all. I think she's missing her momma, anyhow." He hands her over to me.

"Speaking of her mom, where is Bella?" my father adds. I don't respond as I'm already walking away from them. In my periphery, I notice their look of confusion, but I don't turn back.

I bounce Kennedy in my arms and make my way into one of the closed off rooms. She's the only one who can rid me of the strange feelings I'm having.

"Hey, sweetie. Where's your mommy, huh? Do you know?" I sit down on the bay window seat and cradle her head in my palm. I kiss her forehead, while she suckles on her fingers.

I lean down to look at her rosy cheeks and smile.

"You look so much like her, you know that? I've never noticed until now, me being such a selfish daddy." I chuckle as I tug gently on one of her curls and watch it spring back into place.

"Oh, Minnie, I'm scared to death," I sigh. "What if this isn't what your mommy wants? Why isn't she here yet, huh? If you could talk you would tell daddy he's being a paranoid jerk, wouldn't you?"

I kiss my daughter's forehead again. She has no idea just how bad her father is losing it. I just want Bella here. I want to see her face. I want to ask her to be my wife, and we can figure out the hard parts later. We'll address all the nerves and doubts she probably has together. She just needs to show up.

I'm going to murder Rose and Alice.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I brace Kennedy close to my chest with one hand, while I pull out my phone with the other. I look at the screen and see that it's my sister.

"Smidge, where the hell are you?"

I freeze at her next words; they're like a knife to my heart.

"Edward, Bella's gone! Her dress…She didn't get dressed and there's a note…. Edward...Edward are you there? Hello?"

The phone slides from my hand and hits the floor. Kennedy starts to whimper, I'm sure because the position I'm holding her in is a little awkward.

"Shh… it's alright, baby. Daddy's sorry," I comfort, straightening her position.

James and my mother come rushing through the door just as I'm settling Kennedy into her crib.

"Edward…"

"She doesn't want to marry me. Smidge just told me."

"Edward, sweetheart she's just scared and overwhelmed, and I think the whole surprise thing just caught her off guard," she reasons.

"Smidge called you?"

"She called me worried about you when you didn't respond on the other end of the line." James walks toward me.

"She said something about a note, but it's all kind of foggy right now," I plop down onto one of the chairs.

"She said Bella knew about the marriage proposal, and said that she wasn't ready to be married. She said she needed some time to think, and she would call you later."

I nod and lean my head back, looking at the ceiling. "Rose and Smidge told her I was going to ask her to marry me."

"No, Edward. Smidge said Bella must've figured it out. They didn't tell her about tonight."

I nod once more, not trusting the words that would come out of my mouth.

"Just give her some time, sweetheart, she'll come around," my mother tries to console.

"Did she ask about Minnie?" I suddenly feel a little pissed. They look at each other for confirmation and shrug. It doesn't go unnoticed.

"So, what you're saying is Bella ran out on both of us without a word to me or asking about our daughter?" My voice rises as I shoot up from my seat.

"Edward, honey, we didn't say that. I'm sure Bella just needs a moment to get her emotions under control. I mean, she graduated from college today, and the two of you were planning to move in together. On top of that, she figured out that you were going to propose. I'm just saying it's a little overwhelming."

"And you're an expert on Bella's emotions and feelings, Mother?" I scoff. "You don't even like her." My anger is slowly boiling. Her mouth falls open in shock at my outburst.

"Hey, Edward, come on. Let's go for a walk," James puts an arm around my shoulder and leads us out onto the back porch.

I know what I said to my mother was uncalled for, but at this moment I don't give a shit. I'm pissed off, and since I can't take it out on Bella, she's the closest target.

Once we step outside, I shed my tux jacket and snatch off my tie.

"You've got to calm down, man. Mom's right. Bella is just overwhelmed."

"She could've called me. We agreed no more keeping shit from each other."

"So, you're angry with her for being scared…indecisive?"

"You're fucking right, I'm angry!" I yell, storming back inside, past my mother and into the dining area where all the guests are still drinking, eating and talking amongst themselves.

Everyone stops immediately as they notice me stalk to the front of the room and bang on a champagne glass to get their attention.

"Excuse me, I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out to celebrate with us this evening in honor of Bella, but since the guest of honor has chosen not to show up, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cut this celebration short." Gasps and chatter fill the room. The guests look back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation. Almost as one, they turn back to look at me.

"Everyone get out." I finally say. I catch a glimpse of their horrified faces and hear their gasps as I make my way back through the crowd.

Rose and my sister have just stumbled in to hear the end of my announcement; their expressions are ones of pure astonishment

"Edward, son, what's going on?" My father tries grabbing my arm, but I pull away and keep walking, until Charlie steps into my path.

"What the hell is going on? Where's Bella?" he says through clenched teeth.

"I don't know, Charlie!" I throw up my hands in defeat. "Maybe you can tell me?"

My entire family and Bella's friends surround me.

"When we got to her apartment she wasn't there," Rose admits. "Her dress was lying on the sofa and there was a note."

I whip around to glare at her as she repeats the words I heard my sister speak moments before.

"I don't understand. She seemed so happy when I left her earlier." Angela adds.

"She said she needed space." Rose continues with a shrug.

I laugh sarcastically at her choice of words.

_Space. Wasn't she the fucking one who said yes to moving into my 'space' last night? What a joke._

"She's just scared," Alice interjects.

_Fuck, I'm so sick of hearing that word!_

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to control my anger.

"Maybe she just isn't ready to be married."

My head jerks up when I hear that voice, and I lunge at him with all the built up anger I have inside.

"Oh my God!"

"Get off him, Edward!"

"He's gonna kill him! Carlisle!" I hear random voices yell and scream as Jake and I hit the floor with me on top of him.

"Clear everyone out of here now!" I hear my father's voice escalate, which is unusual for him.

The next thing I know, I'm being dragged off Jake and into another room.

"Sit in that chair and calm the fuck down," my father rasps, his breathing labored. He smooths his hair back and loosens his tie. It took him, my brother and Emmett to get me off Jake and into his study.

"Thanks you, you two," he says to Emmett and James, "give me a minute alone with Edward."

He waits for them to leave before he starts.

"What has gotten into you, dismissing our guests like that? It was rude, definitely uncalled for and don't get me started on that _brawl _out there."

"He had it coming," I state nonchalantly.

"What are you, sixteen, Edward? You look like a hormonal teenager fighting over some _babe_ out there. Bella is the mother of your child. Show them both some respect. Now, I understand you're pissy about Bella, but there's a better way to deal with your anger."

"She didn't even call, Dad."

"Edward," he sighs and sits in the chair opposite me, "we don't know what Bella's feeling right now. Today was an emotional day. She just graduated from college. In her head, she might be thinking shit gets real from this point. Maybe she's just…"

"I swear to God if you say the words, scared or overwhelmed, I'll blow my fucking top."

"Watch your language, Son."

There's a timid knock on the door.

"Come in," my father answers, and we're both a little confused to see the face that pokes in.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Cullen, but can I speak with Edward for a moment?"

"Sure, um…Angela, am I correct?" My father asks.

"Yes, you're correct, Sir," she answers softly.

"Very well, I'll leave you two alone and make sure all of the guests have gone…do some damage control." He rises and rubs my shoulder before closing the door behind him, leaving Angela and I alone.

"I'm sorry about, Jake," I apologize immediately, scrubbing a hand over my face.

"He was out of line, but that's not what I want to talk with you about. Edward, I'm confused."

"That makes two of us, Angela."

"I'm serious. When I left Bella this afternoon she was happy…ecstatic to be moving in with you. The only thing she was worried about was how to one up you in domestics."

I look at her and give her a half smile. I know Bella was worried about me doing all the domestic things when we live together.

"She really wanted this, Edward…for you, her and KC to be a family. She was ready."

I look at her face, full of sincerity and concern. She's telling the truth. Angela is probably closer to Bella than anyone. She'd know.

"Then why or what do you think made her change her mind, Angela?"

"I don't know."

I sigh and rest my head against the back of the chair.

_Neither do I._

**_BPOV_**

"You're not going to get away with this."

"Shut up."

"I'm serious. There are people waiting for me, Tanya!"

"I said shut up! I can't fucking think."

I sit quietly in the passenger seat of her SUV, trying to figure out a way out of this mess. We're parked outside my apartment. Tanya now seems to be totally unable to think clearly, she's completely lost it. I should've known the minute I opened the door and saw her standing there.

**_Flashback_**

"One last girls night out before you move into your new fabulous home," Angela says as we arrive back at our apartment after graduation. We're getting all dressed up and going to a surprise place that Alice and Rose have chosen as a graduation present for us.

"You know I'll be over here all the time, don't you?"

"Oh no you don't, Swan. Once you're out, you are out! Besides, then I can invite James over without all of us feeling awkward," she beams.

"You and Edward's brother, who would of thought it?" I laugh. "In fact, who would've thought me and Edward?" I add quietly.

We both giggle and waltz arm in arm into our living room.

"What time did Rose and Alice demand that we be ready?" I pick up the garment bag containing the ridiculously expensive dress that they helped me purchase.

It's as gorgeous as it's expensive. I'm sure Edward had something to do with buying it for me; although, I don't understand why Rose and Alice are so adamant about me wearing white.

"They said to be ready by seven, and it's five thirty now. I say we need to get a move on."

"Okay, I'll get in the shower first, but where are you on your way to?"

"Um…me?" she stammers, looking guilty.

"Yes, you. You're carrying your dress and car keys, and it looks like you're heading in the direction of the door."

"Oh! Well, I have to take my dress to the tailor for a last minute alteration. I'll only be gone about half an hour," she hurries out of the door and doesn't wait for a response.

"But it's already after five thirty!" I yell after her.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes!" She yells over the roar of her car engine.

"Wha… Angela!"

_Great! _ _ How the hell am I supposed to get into this dress on my own? Christ, and the makeup! _

I huff and look around the living room now filled with boxes and boxes of KC's and my belongings. I can't help but smile. After going through so much in the past year, we're finally moving towards happiness.

I reach for the garment bag, unzip it and remove my dress. I run my hand delicately down the front. It truly is breathtaking, a white strapless, sequined cocktail dress. I wish Edward would be able to see me in it.

_Maybe I'll head over to his place, our place, when we get home tonight. Sounds like a plan._

I drape my dress across the back of the couch, gather the other bag with underwear and toiletries and head upstairs.

I'm showered and running around like a mad woman in my terry bathrobe, my hair's half dried and wild. I can't seem to find the new jewelry to go with my outfit.

_Damn it!_

It's six forty-five, and my hair isn't done properly, nor am I dressed. I'm going to be late. On top of that, Angela hasn't come back yet. I'm going to kill her. She's going to make us doubly late, and I can hear Rose's bitching now.

I'm on my hands and knees, looking under my bed and dresser for my jewelry, even though l know there is no possibility that it could be in either of those places. KC is still too young for me to blame this on. There's one option left, though.

"Sadie!" I yell at the top of my lungs and bolt barefoot down the stairs. "Sadie where are you?"

_Damn that dog!_

That's when I see her, standing and looking at me, preparing to square off. I'm not giving up without a fight. A playful snarl rips from her, her eyes focused on me. She's ready.

"You're not getting past me with that bag, Sadie. Give it up."

I block her path, as I know she's preparing to bolt past me and out of the doggie door, probably to bury the bag in the yard.

"Sadie, give me my bag," I speak slowly, and I step closer. She shakes the bag in her mouth playfully taunting me.

_Shit! She's trying to antagonize me._

"Sadie, give me that bag! I growl and lunge for her as she takes off past me. She knocks me to the floor as she makes it through the doggie door.

"Sadie! Damn it." I whine, scrambling up from the floor and preparing to give chase but there's a knock at the door.

_Shit! Rose and Alice are here. _

I stomp over to the door and ready myself to hear a bunch of shit about my current appearance.

I yank open the door, eyes already rolled to the ceiling. "I know I'm going to be late, Rose."

"Try again." I gasp.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, shocked. "I didn't invite you in, Tanya." My voice bristles as she boldly steps past me and into the house.

"Getting ready for the big night, I see." She walks over to the couch and stops right where my dress is. I look on, gaping at the nerve of her.

"Get out of here right now, Tanya." I hold the door open.

"The dress is gorgeous. This shows better taste then you had a while back. Remember Paris?" She looks over her shoulder as she holds my dress up to inspect. "Edward will definitely love this."

This is starting to feel a bit weird.

_What the hell does she want?_

"I'm going to put some clothes on, and if you still have your boney ass down here when I get back, I'm calling the police." I leave the door wide open for her to leave as I rush upstairs to put on some sweats. When I return she's still standing in the same spot.

"That's it. I've warned you." I pull my cell-phone from my pocket and dial.

"I bet you can't wait to get that ring on your finger." She says with an annoyed sigh. I stop mid-dial.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh that's right. You don't know. It's a surprise." She taps her chin suggestively.

"Enough of the games and riddles, Tanya. I don't even care. I just want you out of my house. Whatever drama you're trying to conjure up now, is a wasted attempt."

"Not even the knowledge of Edward proposing to you tonight?"

I'm stunned.

_What the hell is she talking about?_

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not even seeing Edward tonight…you know what, it doesn't matter, and it's none of your damned business." I raise my phone to dial again.

"The party that his sister and your obnoxious _bestie_ are taking you to is a surprise in your honor. He's planning to ask you to marry him. How ironic is that? The ink is barely dry on our divorce papers, and already he's planning on marrying you." She laughs.

I narrow my eyes and gape at her.

_She has no idea what she's talking about, or does she?_

It all starts to make sense. Alice and Rose being so secretive about things. Edward dropping not so subtle hints, the dress, he's going to ask me to marry him, and Tanya's found out about it.

_How did she find out?_

"What do you want, Tanya?"

"What I want is simple…Edward," she says it as if she's requesting a cup of coffee.

My eyes bug out of my head. I study her face for a moment, not a trace of humor or sanity on it.

"You're not kidding are you? My God! When are you going to get it through your head? Edward doesn't want you. He wants to be a family with me and _our_ daughter, and if what you say is true, and he asks me to marry him tonight, I'm going to scream from the rooftop, saying yes over and over." I step directly in front her, chest heaving.

Her eyes blaze with anger.

"You're accepting that proposal over my dead body."

"We'll see about that." I turn my back to her and dial once more. "The police will be here to cart your crazy ass away before I have a _chance_ to commit murder."

She reaches over, snatching the phone from my hand and throws it across the room. I whirl around and watch as it bounces off the wall and skids over to her feet.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snap and bend down to retrieve the phone. As I rise, I see her swing at me.

I wake up feeling groggy and disoriented… _where am I? _I try to move, but my hands are firmly secured behind my back, and it is painful even when I move my arms a little bit. I try to turn my head as I struggle to get my bearings. I'm lying on the floor in the living room of my apartment. _What the hell happened to me?_

I can hardly move my head, but I let my eyes wander around the room until they settle on the feet of someone sitting on my sofa.

"So, you've decided to join me again, finally."

_Tanya!_

And suddenly, the memory of the most recent events comes flooding back. She's obviously unhinged and dangerous. What the hell am I going to do? Where are Angela and Rose?

She gets up, stands in front of me and bends down to yank me into a sitting position.

"Get up, we don't have time to sit around." She prods me with her foot, motioning for me to stand.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. My friends will be her shortly, you're going to pay for this Tanya." My voice is hoarse, but I try to make it firm.

"Oh, you'll come with me, or your darling KC will be the next person I get to. You know how determined I can be. Now, if you don't want something to happen to your precious baby, you'll do the smart thing and do as I say."

My heart stutters in my chest, and my breath literally stops. The thought of any harm being done to my baby makes me decide to comply. She's literally crazy, and I can't take any risks with KC. I only hope that I can find a way to get away from her. _Where the hell is everyone?_

I get up onto my shaky legs, my head hurts and my vision feels a bit fuzzy. "Move," she demands.

**_End of Flashback_**

"What did you hit me with? I think I need to go to a hospital."

"You're not going anywhere. I didn't hit you that hard, just enough to shut your stupid mouth and stop you from calling the police."

"What are you planning to do?" I'm nervous as I look at her frazzled state. My hands are tied securely behind my back. She doesn't respond, just rests her forehead against the steering wheel, breathing deeply and muttering almost silently.

"Tanya, I can see that you don't want to do anything rash. Please, let's just think this through for a minute."

"There is no time to think," she mutters. She looks up and over at me with tears in her eyes. Mascara trickles down her face. She isn't stable, and I didn't know what that means for me.

Suddenly, she reaches over and flips down the glove box, pulling out a pen and paper and begins to write.

I catch a glimpse of what she' writing, and I panic.

"Are you crazy? No one's going to believe that I just ran away! What are you going to do with me, Tanya?"

"I haven't thought that far yet." She scribbles frantically.

"Edward won't believe this," I sob. "My baby…what about my baby? She needs me!" I scream struggling to break free of my restraints. She just ignores me and finishes up the letter and leaves the car, heading back to my apartment.

I pull violently at whatever she has my wrists tied with, sobbing uncontrollably. My head aches, and my wrists burn, but this was the only time I'm going to have to try and get my hands free. It's futile. Whatever she's tied my wrists with, bites into my flesh painfully. My whimpers and sobs grow louder as I struggle.

"Damn it, Tanya!" I scream, finally too exhausted to fight any longer.

I pray to God for someone to come or to realize that something is wrong.

_Angela should be back soon! Rose and Alice should be on their way. Damn it, Edward! Normally, you would have called a number of times by now. Where the hell is everybody?_

My mental rant halts when I catch a glimpse of my cell phone on the driver's seat. It must've fallen out of Tanya's pocket.

I quickly maneuver my body around and strain my arms and fingers, and I sloppily grab the phone. It isn't an easy task, but I have it firmly in my grip. I close my eyes and exhale.

Concentrating deeply, I push the button on my phone, using my fingers to count the apps and hit the call history tab.

The next part is going to be tricky, and I have to hurry before Tanya comes back. I twist myself so I can see the phone screen out of my periphery. I tap the text icon instead of call.

_Shit! Ok calm down, Bella. You can do this._

I try my hardest, scrolling through the names and finally came to the E's. I tap the screen once I see Edward's name, or so I hope. I strain my neck, and it hurts like a son of a bitch.

"Emmett! No! Damn it come on!" I panic, noticing that I tapped the wrong name.

I try more and Edward's name pops up. My head jerks up when I hear the door to my apartment close. Tanya is on her way back to the car.

"Shit!"

I type the only and easiest thing that makes sense and pray that he'll understand. I send and frantically tap all over the screen to go back to the home screen so she won't notice that I've contacted Edward. By the time she reaches the car, I've settled back in my seat with my hands wrapped so tightly around my cell, my fingers hurt.

"Now we can go." She hops in and pulls off abruptly.

_Please Edward. Please understand the text__**.**_

* * *

**_ ~~~W~~~_**


	39. Chapter 39 Off the Deep End

**Chapter 39**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: It all belongs to Stephanie Meyer._**

_**A/N: The next few chapters will be filled with angst. Put on your big girl panties ladies. You are forewarned!**_

**_EPOV_**

**_Back at the Cullen Mansion…._**

After the conversation with Angela, I'm more confused than ever.

I finally leave the study and return to the family room where everyone is sitting around and talking, trying to understand the nights events. My father is being true to his word and is making sure that all guests leave.

_Thank God. I really don't feel like dealing with the looks and comments._

Although I'm sure Ms. Cope would be contacting me sometime.

"Well, I just paid the photographer for his time and saw the last of the guests to the door." My father sighs as he reenters the room.

"Thanks, Dad." All conversation stops and heads turn to me.

"I'm fine." I reassure everyone, holding my hands up in front of me. "Where's my daughter?"

"Mom took her upstairs to feed and change her," Alice responds. "Edward, are you alright?"

"It's nearly eight. This is the time Bella normally nurses her," I check my watch, ignoring my sister's inquisition.

"Something's not right." Charlie walks over to where I'm standing. "For one, I know she was over the moon about moving in with you...she's not one to run away, Edward, not from you, and definitely not from her daughter. I've called her cell phone ten goddamned times, and she hasn't answered. She _always_ answers for me," he states emphatically.

"I don't know, Charlie. What I do know is that she's not here, and she left that note. I don't know what to think."

"I'm going to keep trying her cell. If she doesn't return any of my calls in the next few minutes I'm going out to look for her." He's obviously upset with my response and storms away from me.

I don't know what he wants me to say. If Bella doesn't want to marry me, then it's her choice. I can't force her. Maybe everyone's right. Maybe I should just give her some time and things will eventually be okay.

Everyone parts like the Red Sea as I walk through the room and head into the kitchen. I go straight to the fridge for a beer.

"Can I get you anything Mr. Cullen, something to eat maybe?"

"No Irina, I'm good," I hold up my beer.

"Are you alright, man?" James walks in behind me moments later.

"I'm giving her space." I take a swig of my beer and pop a cheese puff into my mouth.

"Well, this is a complete one eighty from five minutes ago," he exaggerates.

"What am I going to do, track her down and drag her back by her hair?"

"Actually, I thought that's exactly what you _might_ do."

I shrug and drink my beer and snack on the slightly cold appetizers.

_Maybe this is what they refer to as one of the seven stages of grief, denial?_

I'm in denial, I'm pissed off, but I don't want the entire household and staff to know just how pissed off I am. My brother knows better though, if anyone knows, he does.

"Do you want me to help you look for her?"

"Who says I'm going to look for her?" I frown at him. "I'm here. She knows exactly where I am, and it's not like she doesn't have my cell number." I reach in my pocket and shake my phone in his face to be extra dramatic. "I'm not going to look for her. When she's ready to stop acting like a twelve-year old and talk to me like an adult, I'll be waiting for her. Now leave me alone, James, please."

He nods reluctantly and leaves me in peace. It's just too bad Rose didn't hear the speech I just gave to him on her way in…or maybe she did.

"So this is it?"

"So this is _what_?" I glare at her.

"You just sit here and stuff you face full of cheese puffs while the mother of your child is God knows where, scared to death and alone? Edward, it's almost dark."

"What exactly is she scared of Rose…marriage…me?" I spin around on the barstool to look her square in the eye.

"You jackass," she shakes her head at me as if the answer should be obvious. "Bella's not like us."

"No shit." I say sarcastically.

"Okay, so if you know this, you would understand. She's been on a whirlwind since she's met you, wining and dining, trips to Paris, a fiancée she knew nothing about, a baby. Shall I go on?"

"No, but I'm sure you will," I sigh irritably and scrub my face.

"All that, and at a young age," she ignores me as I knew she would, "is there any thought that she might be sc…"

"Scared? I get it!" I rudely interrupt and yell.

"Okay, you get it, so what does all this blatant denial mean, Edward?" She gestures to the beer and food. "You don't love her any longer?"

"Of course I love her! Bella and Minnie are my whole world."

"Then act like it, do something about it." She turns to walk back into the room with the others. "And please stop calling that sweet baby Minnie, the child has four names, for Christ's sake, she'll be confused by the time she's able to talk."

I can't help to shake my head and smile at her boldness. She's never one to mince words, especially not with me.

"I told you this damned party would be a bad idea!" I yell after her.

"Get off of your ass and go and find her, Edward or I'll damage you!" She yells back. She's right I need to at least make sure that Bella is safe.

I stare at my phone on the counter briefly before picking up to call, Bella. It goes to voicemail_. _I've had enough of this shit. I reach into my pocket and pull out my keys. I leave out of the back entrance so no one will notice I've gone.

Jumping in my car, I tear down the road in the direction of Bella's apartment.

* * *

I swing my car into Bella's normal parking space and jump out, having barely brought the car to a complete stop.

I turn the doorknob, yelling her name as I barge in.

_Bella never leaves her door unlocked._

"Bella!" I yell out again once I'm inside.

I look around at the state Bella's living room is in – filled with moving boxes. She's basically all packed up, ready to move in with me.

Sadie comes charging through the house toward me. She must've heard me pull up and yell Bella's name.

"Hey girl," I reach down to pet her head.

She's carrying a little bag in her mouth and drops it at my feet, urging me with her nose to open it.

"What do you have here?" I pick it up and look in the bag. There's a blue velvet case with diamond-accented jewelry inside, earrings and a necklace to match. I thumb over the earrings gingerly, briefly imagining the way they would sparkle and dangle delicately next to the soft skin of her neck.

"Where are you, Bella?" I whisper out loud. I give Sadie another quick pat and rise to my feet. I look around more and notice her dress draped across the back of the sofa.

I walk over and caress the delicate material with the back of my knuckle. The dress is gorgeous. I imagine what Bella would've looked like tonight if she'd shown up. I imagine every inch of her; her legs, her shoulders and the smile on her face when I ask her to marry me, the way her dainty hand would tremble while I slide the ring onto her finger.

I sigh as I try to decipher what could be going through her head. I just don't understand.

I take a seat on the sofa and hold my head in my hands thinking what I can do to make things easier for her, to make her understand that she can trust what we have. One thing is for sure I'm not leaving this spot until she shows up. I know she'll come back to the apartment first. Her car keys are still on the coffee table so she can't have gone far.

I sit back and get settled into the couch, prepared to wait all night if I have to. I shift and hear the rustle of paper under my leg. I snatch it from under me and realize it's the note that Rose and Smidge told me about. I slowly begin to read what it says.

"_Edward,_

_I'm sorry. Things are moving too fast for me; although I care a great deal for you, I'm not ready to marry you, I don't think I'll ever be ready. What I need is space, time to rethink things. I'm going to take some time for myself and do just that. I know you will want to come looking for me, please don't. Please respect the decision I'm making. In time, maybe things will be different, but right now it has to be this way. _

_Bella_

"This is bullshit!"

I reread the letter again and once more after that, letting the words wash over me. It dawns on me that she didn't once in that that letter say that she loves me.

_Care a great deal? What the fuck is that about?_

She didn't mention, Minnie.

I look at the letter again and shake my head at the offending piece of garbage that has potentially ruined my life.

I become more pissed each time I read it. I decide to try calling Bella again. I pull out my phone and notice a text from her.

_When the hell did she send this?_

I tap the screen to read the text and am baffled by the one word message.

_Tanya._

I'm confused, trying to figure out why Bella would send a text simply reading _Tanya_. I have the text in one hand and the note in the other; neither makes any sense at this point.

I call Bella's phone again and it's still going to voicemail.

"What the fuck are trying to tell me, Bella? Come on, answer your phone!" My frustration spikes.

I looked at the letter once more to try and get some insight and finally realize that it isn't Bella's handwriting. She didn't write the letter.

I race out of her apartment and back into my car. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it right away. I was concentrating so much on the contents that I completely ignored the handwriting. I back out and spin around, wheels screeching as I make my way back to my parents' home.

* * *

I race into the family room partially enraged, partially terrified. I glance at their concerned faces. I can only imagine how I must look to them, wide eyed, frantic.

"I think Tanya has Bella."

"What?" Everyone in the room gasps in unison.

"What are you saying, Edward …my sister has Bella?" Jasper stands up, looking confused.

"What the hell is going on, who has my daughter?" Charlie jumps up and walks in my direction.

"I went over to Bella's to see if she was there, and I saw that note Rose and Smidge said she'd left. Bella didn't write it."

"What? " My sister gasps and looks at me in confusion.

"It took me a few moments to realize it, but she didn't say that she loves me or mention our daughter in that letter. Bella didn't write that letter," I say confidently.

"You think my sister wrote it?" Jasper asks, his eyes narrowing at me. "You think she kidnapped, Bella?" His anger is clearly becoming more noticeable.

"I don't know what your _sister_ has done, but I'm sure as hell going to find out."

"Hold your voices down," My mother warns as she walks into the room, "the baby is sleeping. What's happened?"

"Edward thinks Tanya has done something to Bella," James recaps the conversation.

"I don't think, I _know_ she has." I watch as my mother's mouth falls open in shock. It's unmistakable how fast the guilt spreads across her face.

I raise the phone to my ear and try calling Bella's phone and it goes straight to voicemail.

"Fuck!" My sister and mother both jump at my sudden outburst.

"Son what happened?" My father rushes over to me in concern.

"Her phone went to voicemail." I snap and roughly types in Tanya's number. She picks up on the second ring. I don't wait for her to speak.

"Where is she, Tanya?"

"Where's who?" She sounds slightly put off.

"Don't play games with me, where's, Bella?"

"You don't seem to have the best luck with women do you, Edward, maybe you should try the opposite sex?"

"Where the hell is she!"

"If you can't keep up with your future bride don't blame me," She snaps then the line goes dead. I feel the color drain from my face.

_She knows….but how?_

My sister and Jasper joins my father and Charlie to stand around me with worry after they overhear the exchange.

"Is Bella with her?" Charlie asks.

"Son?"

"Edward?" Jasper asks calmly.

"She called her my _future bride._ How did she know I was going to ask Bella to marry me? She has her."

"What did she say, Edward? Did she say she knew where Bella was?" Jasper inquires.

"No." I try dialing back, but _her_ number is now going to voicemail.

"Damn it!"

"Then how do you know my sister knows anything about what's happened to Bella?"

"Jasper, sweetheart calm down, Edward is just…"

"Edward is just nothing! I don't need you to speak for me." I point at my sister, then turn my attention back to her husband. "Your crazy ass sister did something to Bella, and when I get my hands on her, I'm going to make sure she's fitted with a straightjacket. You better hope I don't find her." I lash out and push past everyone, heading back to the front door.

"Hey, Edward." My father, Charlie and James run after me, causing me to stop. "Are you sure about Tanya, Son?" my father asks.

"I got a text from Bella while I was waiting for her at her apartment. The text only says _Tanya._ I have to find her."

"I'm coming with you." James announces, and I don't bother to argue. It's probably a good idea for him to come with me, because if I find Tanya on my own there is no telling what might happen.

"I'm coming too," Charlie adds.

"No, you should stay." I say quickly.

"She's my goddamned daughter, and I'm coming. Bella told me what a nut job this ex-wife of yours is, and I'm going to make sure she's put behind bars for what she's done."

"Maybe we should all just calm down and rethink things for a moment before jumping to any major conclusions," my mother says as she runs up behind us.

"Why? You didn't rethink things when you tried to make my daughter's life a living hell. You and this _Tanya_ have been conspiring to ruin my daughter's life since you found out that your son loved my daughter!" Charlie's anger finally boils over. I know he's fighting hard for my and Bella's sake to not express his feelings about everything that's transpired in the past year, but in light of the situation it can't be contained any longer. I understand.

My mother's eyes widen and her mouth opens and closes repeatedly, but words won't come out.

"Charlie, take it easy," my father steps in to shield my mother from his onslaught. "We all want the same thing here, for Bella to be found and to be returned safely."

I can't disagree or be angry at what Charlie said and now isn't the time to choose sides. I need to handle this without him, so I try a different approach.

"Charlie, Jasper can tell you everything you need to know about Tanya, and if Bella calls Rose or Angela or to check on Minnie, you should be here to take that call. Can you please stay here? I swear I will take care of this."

"You've said that before, and now look at this mess!"

"Please, Charlie," I plead, ignoring his last statement.

"You better bring my baby girl home safely, Edward." He concedes but his voice holds a stern warning.

"I promise." James and I head out the door.

I have no idea where to look for Tanya, or where she'd take Bella. James insists on driving, and I don't fight him on it. I can't trust myself to be behind the wheel at the moment.

* * *

"Where do you think she might have taken her?"

"I have absolutely no clue. I can hardly wrap my head around the fact that she kidnapped her."

"About that…are you one hundred percent confident that she did? I mean, Tanya can get a little crazy at times and is extremely spoiled, but a kidnapper?"

"You didn't hear her voice, James, and how did she know about me asking Bella to marry me? She called her my future bride, and I know for a fact that Bella did_ not_ write that ridiculous letter."

"Okay, I believe you. Let's just try and figure out where she might be, maybe she's been to her parents' house. We should check there first and then her office."

I nod and continue checking my phone to see if either of them has contacted me in any way.

We have to find them before Tanya does something rash. I have no idea what frame of mind she's in and what harm she could do.

"Now get away from my house before I call the authorities!"

"Well that was fun," James mutters dryly as we walk back to the car and climb in. He's referring to Tanya's mother exploding when we told her what was going on.

"She was completely irrational. No wonder her daughter is as nutty as a fruitcake," I grumble.

"Yeah, well you didn't help matters be telling her that to her face either."

"If she's done anything to hurt Bella I'll k…"

"Don't say it. We'll find them, Edward."

* * *

We left Tanya's office over an hour ago and have been driving around for even longer. I'm emotionally spent and getting worried. I haven't received any more texts from Bella, and neither she nor Tanya are answering their cell phones. At this point, I don't know what Tanya is capable of.

James and I are both silent as we drive down the dark highway. Suddenly, a thought comes to me.

"Turn the car around."

"What?"

"Turn the car around, James. I think I know where Tanya might be."

"Where?" He makes a sharp u-turn.

"I was thinking about something Jasper said when we were talking about Tanya earlier this evening."

"What did he say?"

"He said that Tanya barely leaves _that_ house."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Tanya is still living in my old house where we got married. It's not like she didn't have her own place before we were married James, and we didn't buy that house together. She's been staying there in the hope that I would come back. Where else could she be? She has to be there."

Just as I divulge that information to James, my cell rings. I pick up in a rush, without even looking to see who it is.

"Bella?"

"It's Charlie, you haven't had any luck?"

"Charlie no, she hasn't contacted you?" I sigh dejectedly.

"No, but I called in a favor to a couple of guys I know on the force down here. It's too soon to have her declared missing, but I've her phone GPS'd."

"Where is she, Charlie?"

"From the trace of her phone, it looks like she's headed down interstate four-ninety- five south. I'll stay on the phone with you until you reach that destination."

"No need, we're heading in that direction already, thanks Charlie. I'll call you back."

"What did Charlie say?"

"He had Bella's phone tracked. They are on this highway somewhere. I'm sure Tanya's going to the house."

James looks at me quickly, and I feel the car accelerate. I silently pray that the police won't stop us, because this time isn't going to have the same outcome as when I was previously arrested for speeding.

We speed down the highway, weaving in and out of lanes. I think back to all the past arguments I've had with Tanya, trying to figure out when she finally snapped. I can't believe that I didn't notice it. I should've noticed it when she told me she couldn't have children. She was so broken and out of it that night when she told me. She was crying out for help, and I was so focused on getting out of the marriage that I didn't see things for what they were.

My phone rings, and I look down to see who the caller is and answer immediately.

"Where's, Bella?"

"I see she sent you a text. I still don't know how she did that."

"Where is she, Tanya?"

"Did you ever care about me at all, Edward?" She's sobbing. "It's always been about her!"

"Tanya, please calm down and tell me where you're at."

"Fuck you! Don't act like you care about me now. You just want me to tell you where I am so you can come get your precious, Bella."

"Yes I want to come and get Bella! What did you do to her? I swear you better not hurt her, Tanya."

"Edward, we're on highway four ninety five!" I hear Bella's voice scream out the words in a rush before the line goes dead.

"Goddamn it!" I growl and call back.

"Edward, look," James exclaims and points just ahead to the right of us. " Isn't that Tanya's Range?"

I lean up and squint so I could see through the slight fog that's beginning to get thicker.

"That's her, James." He steps on the gas even more.

"I'm calling Charlie. Tanya's not stable."

I cancel the call to Tanya and dial Charlie's number instead. He picks up on the first ring.

"Did you find her?"

"Yeah, but Charlie I need you to call the police back and send them to interstate four ninety five. We are about five miles away from the Skyway Bridge."

"What? Why do you need the police? Where's my daughter?"

"Charlie, please just call them!" I yell and end the call.

James continues to pick up speed and I see Tanya's car swerve.

"Did you see that? Her car just swerved."

_Hold on, Brown Eyes, just hold on a little longer._

Tanya's car swerves again, this time almost hitting the car in the lane next to her.

"Hurry!"

"I am! We'll get to her, just hold on, Edward."

My heart is beating damned near out of my chest. Tanya's lost, it and now if we don't get to them in a hurry, she's going to kill Bella, along with herself.

We get closer to Tanya's truck and it looks as if she and Bella are struggling over the steering wheel.

"Oh God, James we've got to stop her!"

Tanya's truck shoots down the road and onto the bridge at top speed and still swerving. I watch in horror as other cars skid and come to a complete stop, trying to avoid her.

Everything else happens so fast, but it's as if I'm watching it in slow motion.

"No, Bella!" I shout. "James! Stop the car!"

James slams on the brakes, and I'm out the car, running down the outer lane before it completely stops.

"Edward!" I hear him call after me.

"Bella!"

Tanya's truck has slammed into another car, which sends the front of her truck propelling off the side of the bridge. It's barely still on the road, only hanging on by the back tires. I hear terrifying screams rip from both of them, but Bella's voice is the one that echoes in my head over and over.

"Bella!" I cry out while running towards their truck. James is on my heels, yelling for me to stop, tackling me to the ground once he catches up to me.

"Get the fuck off me!"

"Edward stop it! You can't go near them. If you do, that truck will take a nose dive into the river."

I try pulling away, but between running, screaming out for Bella and the tackle to the ground I'm just about out of energy to fight him. He just holds me to his chest, while I scream her name.

I pant heavily as I watch the truck rock until it finally balances precariously on the edge of the bridge.

"It's okay. It's going to be alright, the police are coming." My brother consoles me, while we sit on the ground waiting and watching as the sirens approach.

Three patrol cars dart past us and up to where Tanya's truck is. The police quickly jump out and start discussing the situation. I watch as one of the officers radios for back up.

"They have to help them," I whisper.

"They will," James' hold on me loosens. We both get to our feet and sprint up to the officers.

"Hold it, you two," the officer stops us from advancing further.

"That's my girlfriend and ex-wife in that car." I announce, out of breath. Given the situation, even I realize how ridiculous that sounds.

The police officer blinks at me, and looks like he wants to comment, but chooses not to. He just nods.

"Are they the only people in the car?"

"Yes, I believe so?"

"What are their names?"

"Bella and Tanya," I reply immediately, not understanding why any of that is important.

"Wait here," he orders and goes to consult with another officer.

I run a hand through my hair and pace. James places a comforting hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me. I can't believe this is happening. I should be holding Bella in my arms right now while we dance and celebrate our engagement. Instead, she's dangling off the side of a bridge, fighting for her life.

"God, I would give anything to start this day over. "

"You couldn't have known she would do something like this, take it easy on yourself, bro."

"I should never have left her side."

"Ladies, if you can hear me, calmly and without trying to move an inch, please answer, yes." One of the officers calls out to them.

They both answer, and I can tell that they're both crying and terrified. I rush over to where they've placed a barricade, and wait with baited breath when I heard their voices.

"Is anyone inside hurt?" The officer adds.

"Yes…my, head," Bella answers faintly.

"She's hurt! Bella?" I call for her. "Bella I'm here, baby. It's okay."

"Sir, you have to keep calm and let us handle this. If either one of them get excited that truck will go over."

My eyes widen and I feel the tear prick at the corner of my eyes. "She's hurt. You've got to help her…please...you have to help her," I plead.

"Edward," James comes up behind me and tries to usher me away from the barricade, but I won't move. "Please, I'll be quiet; just…I can't leave her."

"You're not leaving her. We're just going to stand back so they can help Bella and Tanya. Come on."

I reluctantly allow James to move me back a short distance, but don't take my eyes off the truck.

"They have to get her out,"

_They have to._

* * *

About an hour has gone by and Bella and Tanya are still trapped. Teams of rescuers, along with paramedics, have shown up. They are still waiting on divers to arrive. They've explained to me that it's standard procedure to have them there just in case the truck goes over the side and into the river. By this time, I'm an emotional wreck.

"It'll be soon." James gives me a gentle pat on the back.

"Very easy, can you ladies tell me how you're doing?" The officer asks over the megaphone. From where I'm standing, I can no longer hear Bella or Tanya, but the officer signals to me with a "thumbs up", letting me know that they have responded.

"Bella, how's your head holding up, good?"

I receive no signal this time, and I worry.

"He didn't signal to me. Something's wrong," I panic, gripping my hair as I start pacing again.

"Hang in there, Bella. We're going to get you out now." I hear him say, and I immediately rush over to the barricade.

"The divers aren't here. What are you doing? You can't try to remove them from the truck until the divers get here!" I yell at them. "You're not prepared! You need more help…a crane or something! I have tons of connections…anything you need just tell me. I can pay for anything you need!"

I know how I must sound, but I'm beyond caring, I'm desperate. I would say or do anything at this point.

"There's no time for that," he replies instantly, "Bella's bleeding from her head; I asked her on a scale of one to ten how bad it is, and she responded about a seven. We have to get her out now," he asserts.

"Oh God, Bella," I choke back a sob.

_She's going to be okay, she's going to be okay. _

"Please…tell her…tell her I'm here and I love her. Can you tell her that, please?"

"I'll be sure and tell her. Don't worry we're going to get them both out." He reassures me and joins the rest of officers and rescue team.

"Okay, it's a go. We're not waiting for the divers. One of the young women trapped in the car has a severe head injury, and we can't afford to wait." The officers consult and agree.

Closing my eyes, I silently say every prayer known to man. I beg God to let Bella be alright for our daughter, for me. I'd change positions with her in a heartbeat if I it were possible. I'm at the point where I don't know how else to pray, it just comes out as 'please, please' over and over. And then a scream cuts into my chanting. My head jerks up, and I see the truck teeter further off the bridge. The sound of the rail bending as it strains, chills my heart, and I can't breathe.

I watch as the rescue team frantically hurries, trying to survey the vehicle and how they can work quickly to get them out safely.

"What's happened?" I question with anguish. "The truck is….its…"

"Bella collapsed, slumping over and the movement caused the weight of the truck to shift." He replies as he walks over to me.

"Oh my God, but they're still going in. The truck is not stable. They can't!"

"We have no other choice. We have to try and get them out. That truck is going to plunge into the river at any moment."

"Oh God, Bella," I cry and look on helplessly as they cautiously approach the vehicle. One of the rescuers has managed to get the back door open, without causing it to budge any further. James and I look on anxiously as we try to figure out how he would get them both out without causing the truck to fall before they rescue both women.

The lead officer reaches inside, he's secured at the waist with a harness, while fellow officials on the other end hold the attached rope. I can tell by the way his body moves that he's carefully pulling one of them out.

"He has her. She's out." I'm sure I hear in the distance.

"Is it Bella? James, is it her? I can't see around them!"

I'm able to finally get a better look as I notice them carrying someone off to the side. The paramedics quickly surround the person. It has to be her. They must be working on Bella's head. I want so badly to rush to her, but Tanya is still in the vehicle, and I don't want to distract them from getting her out.

I can't help the overwhelming feeling of relief, but I won't be totally satisfied until Tanya is safe as well and this entire nightmare is over.

The rescue team quickly heads back over to the truck and sets up to get Tanya out, when the truck starts straining against the rail again.

"Hurry!" I hear one of them yell out.

My eyes dart back and forth between them and the paramedics working on Bella. They look to be bandaging one of her legs.

_God how badly is she hurt?_

As they move around her body, I catch a glimpse of her sprawled out on the ground ...blonde curly hair. It isn't Bella; it's Tanya. Bella is still trapped. The minute I realize this, the truck starts to bow. The distressed, bending sound echoes through my entire body. I'm numb. I can't yell. I can't move. I just look on in horror.

"It's going to fall! Get back!" The officer yells for his team to back away from the truck as it slowly plummets.

"Nooo! Bella!" I break through the barricade, running toward the spot where truck went over the edge. One of the officers reach out to grab me before I reach the guardrail.

"Let go of me! I have to get to her; she's not a very good swimmer, you son of a bitch! Get off! Bella!"

"Calm down! The divers will be here any moment!"

"Fuck the divers! There's no time! Her head…she's losing consciousness!" I break free and am able to run to the edge to look over to see the truck slowly sinking.

"Bella….Bella!"

"Edward!"

"Get him away from that ledge!"

The next thing I know, I'm being dragged away from the guardrail, screaming her name.

* * *

_**~~~W~~~**_


	40. Chapter 40, Remergence

**Chapter 40**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: Twilight and all the beloved characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer._**

**_A/N: More angst._**

**_JamesPOV_**

"Edward," I say softly. "Edward we…. damn it," I sigh, not knowing what to say. "Edward we should…"

"I'm not leaving."

"Edward…I know…"

"You don't know shit, fuck off." He sounds eerily calm.

We're sitting on the ground in front of the barricade where we're forced to stay…out of the way they said.

I'll never forget the look on my brother's face when that truck went over the edge. It was gut wrenching. He screamed for her over and over. I can't seem to get the sound out of my head, and now we sit, waiting for what, I don't know. But I can't ask him to leave. It would be insensitive…would make it final… like the end, letting go.

I look over at him twisting her engagement ring between his thumb and index finger.

_He's lost, and I don't know how to help him._

My parents have called numerous times. We don't answer…Charlie as well_. _

_How do I begin to tell him…any of them, Angela, Rose? I need Edward to tell me what to do, but dare I ask him?_

"Edward, we should call Charlie."

"They're going to find her."

"But it's been forty minutes."

"I don't give a fuck, James! We are not telling Charlie shit until they get Bella out of that fucking car."

I sigh and nod my head, even though he doesn't look to see my reaction.

The police officers still haven't come to give us an update. I know that means it can't be good news. Bella couldn't have survived. She was barely conscious; she's lost blood and has been underwater far too long.

"The baby," Edward blurts, "how can I…what am I going to do, James?" He sniffles and finally makes eye contact with me, his face a mask of anguish.

"I don't know, but I'll help you," I pull him to my chest and hug him closely as he erupts into full-blown sobs. "I'll help you.

* * *

We drive in complete silence. Edward makes no move to exit the car and neither do I. I'll allow him as much time as he needs.

About five minutes pass, and he slowly gets out and walks up to the front door. I follow close behind him. He stands with his forehead pressed against the door briefly, before he turns the handle and enters.

We walk through the foyer and into the family room where everyone is still waiting.

My father looks back and forth between us and knows instantly that something tragic has happened.

"Where's my daughter?" Edward's voice is husky and rough from crying and yelling. He doesn't sound like my brother at all.

"Edward? Where's Be…"

I cut my sister's questioning short, fixing her with a serious look and a shake of my head.

"Where's my daughter?" He repeats.

"She's upstairs in Mom and Dad's room, sleeping," Alice answers timidly.

Edward runs up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

I cover my face with my hands and scrub roughly, waiting until he's out of earshot before I address everyone. Charlie has just walked into the room with his cell up to his ear. He isn't having a pleasant conversation with whoever is on the other line.

"I see you made it back, where's Edward and Bella? Did the police lock up his ex-wife for kidnapping my daughter?"

I don't know how or where to begin, but I've promised my brother that I'd help him, and I'm going to keep that promise.

"There was…." My voice sounds weak, hoarse, foreign to my own ears, so I clear my throat and start again. "There was an accident," I begin like it's a question, as if I can't believe the words myself.

"What accident? Where's Edward, where's my daughter?" Charlie questions frantically.

"Edward is upstairs…with the baby."

"And Bella?" he's getting impatient.

I swallow hard and catch a glimpse of Angela as her hand flies up to cover her mouth. I look back to Charlie, who's waiting for an answer, but he has a look on his face that understands that I can't give him a direct one about Bella.

"What happened?" His voice breaks.

"Um…we, when we caught up with Bella and Tanya on the highway ….they struggled and Tanya's truck went over the bridge….and..."

"Oh my God," My mother's sharp intake of breath reverberates throughout the room.

"My sister and Bella are…"

"Your sister is fine, Jasper," I cut him off rudely. "They were able to get to Tanya, but Bella…." My voice trails off.

"Where is she, where's my sister?" He butts in once again, which causes me to snap.

"I don't know where your lunatic sister is! Try the fucking psyche ward, Jasper."

Charlie's face goes ashen; he looks as if he's going to break down, but immediately regains his composure and starts for the stairs. I quickly block his path.

"Get out of my way. I need to speak with, Edward."

"I'm sorry, I can't allow that," I speak as calmly as I can.

"I want him to tell me _exactly_ what happened to my daughter," he growls, pushing me in the chest.

"I know you're upset, and this is a lot to process, but…"

"Don't you tell me how I feel! I want to hear it from him! Now get out of my way."

"No, I can't let you anywhere near him right now, Charlie."

"We'll see about that," he spits and pushes me again, this time managing to knock me out of the way, but I recover quickly and grab his arm to stop him from climbing the stairs.

"Get your damned hands off of me!" He roars, rearing back and punching me in the jaw.

"James!" My mother screams, and I lunge for Charlie, not to harm him, but to keep him away from Edward.

"You son of a bitch! Let go of me!"

My father and Jasper run over and try to help me calm Charlie.

"Charlie, stop it!" My father grabs him, pinning his arms behind his back.

"Your son is a fucking coward! Tell him to come down here and face me. Tell him to come down here and tell me to my face what happened to Bella!"

"No!" I yell. "Don't you understand…I know Bella's your daughter, but…but it's killing him! Bella's gone and it's…it's killing…Dad?" I whimper and look to my father to help me, because I don't know what to say.

"Go to him, Son. Go to your brother."

I look around the room at everyone's shocked faces. My sister has her face buried in both of her hands, while Rose and Angela just gape at me in shock.

"I have to check on, Edward," I rush up the steps and into my parents' room. He's sitting by the window with his lips pressed to Kennedy's forehead, rocking her back and forth. I stand and watch, not wanting to disturb him.

"Shh, it's okay sweetie. Daddy loves you so much."

I lean my head back against the door and pray to God to show me how to be the brother Edward needs me to be right now. I don't have a clue. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, and it just all blew apart. How will he come back from this?

"I heard what happened downstairs." He says, not turning to acknowledge me. "I should talk to him."

"I don't think that's such a good idea right now," I exhale sharply.

He turns to look at me.

"He hit you?"

My hand absent-mindedly reaches up, touching my jaw that I didn't recognize hurt until this moment.

"He's distraught, angry and every other emotion you can think of."

"It's my fault. I told him, promised him that I would bring her home safe, and I didn't."

"Don't do that," I argue, walking toward him, "it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."

"I promised him," he whispers with a dazed look on his face. It's as if he's looking right through me. "I promised _her_ I would fix this."

"Edward…"

"I have to talk with him. Can you take her?" He hands my niece over to me.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Edward?"

"We are the only ones that know what happened. He needs to know."

He leaves the room, leaving me alone with the baby. I hold her close to me and stroke her soft hair.

"Why does it seem like this is the safest and best place to be…here with you, huh, sweetie? I can see why your daddy rushed up here to hold you," I coo and rub her back.

I decide to keep Kennedy upstairs. Downstairs is definitely not the place for her to be at the moment; especially once Edward and Charlie finally came face to face. I just hope that they'll be able to comfort and be there for each another when the dust settles.

* * *

**_EPOV_**

I watch everyone as I make it to the bottom of the stairs. The look on all of their faces tells me that James must have told them, but I don't see Charlie.

They all stand stoically looking at me, but no one approaches me, out of fear I'm sure.

"Charlie?" is all I can force out.

"He left, Son. I tried consoling him, but…." He stops and shakes his head sorrowfully. My sister is silently crying into her husband's chest as he cradles her in his arms, and my mother's eyes plead for me to let her comfort me, but I can't. All I can see when I look at her is guilt.

"How much do you know?"

My father sighs and walked slowly over to me. "James didn't say much…just that Tanya's…"

"Do _not_ say her name," I snap without warning. "I don't _ever_ want to hear her name around me …ever!"

"Edward, please…." My mother tries, but I stop her before she can reach me.

"I need to find Charlie."

"He so hurt, Edward. I tried taking him to another room so I could try and calm him a little, but he just stormed out. Rose, Angela and Emmett went after him to make sure he's alright," my father sighs heavily.

I run both of my hands through my hair, lacing my fingers and resting them on the back of my head.

"Tell me what you need, Son. What can I do?" He looks anguished.

"I need, Bella." I chuckle condescendingly. "Can you do that for me? Can you give me, Bella?" I watch as tears stream down my mother's face, and I lose it.

"No! You don't get to do that! You don't get to cry for me, for her!" I stalk in her direction, her tears sparking my own.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers, her voice riddled with sobs as she reaches for me.

"No! You don't get to do that, Mom!" My voice cracks on the last word as I break down in her arms. "She's gone, Mom…Bella's gone!"

The only thing I can remember is her stroking my hair, rocking me as if I was a five-year-old little boy again.

.

.

.

It's two in the morning and my parents' house is the same. No one leaves and no one sleeps. I'm back upstairs watching Kennedy rest. She's been fussy. She's missing her mother. It's funny how such a little baby can sense something as serious as this. I've finally gotten her to sleep, but she frets ever so often.

I sit up in the bed with my knees bent, arms resting on top, staring at the ring I purchased for Bella, and my eyes begin to water.

"This is a nightmare. " I shut my eyes tightly, trying not to let the tears win again. "This is a horrible nightmare, and I'm going to wake up and you'll be here, looking at me with those eyes…come on…wake up, wake up."

But I don't wake. She isn't here - no brown eyes, staring back at me.

"God Bella, how am I going to live without you? I can't do this without you." I bury my head and weep silently.

* * *

Sometime late that night, I must have fallen asleep. I only realize it when my cell wakes me. I fumble around in the bed for it and answer so it doesn't wake Kennedy.

"What?"

"What, where? What fucking hospital, Rose?"

I jump out of bed, nearly falling flat on my face and race downstairs to where my sister is curled up, sleeping next to Jasper.

"Jasper, will you listen out for Minnie? I have to go out."

"Sure, but its four a.m., Edward. Is everything alright…do you need me to drive you somewhere?"

"No, just please listen out for the baby and tell my parent's I'll call them later," I add and run out of the door.

.

.

.

I half walk, half run down the hall, until the receptionist stops me.

"Can I help you, Sir?"

I don't respond as I see Rose, Angela and Emmett at the end of the corridor. I pick up speed as I hurry over to them.

"Where's Charlie?" I pant heavily.

"The doctors are in with him now," Rose says.

"What the hell happened?"

"We followed him to the bridge…he was determined to find out exactly what happened there. When we arrived, the rescue team was pulling him out of the river. He dove in."

"Christ, how is he?"

"He's a mess…kept saying he wasn't leaving until they found her."

"I can't believe this is happening." Angela practically sobs and turns to walk away.

I plop down in a chair and hang my head.

_Can this night get any worse?_

Rose comes over to sit down beside me. She pulls me close to her and urges me to lay my head on her shoulder. She leans her head gently to mine.

"What am I going to do without her, Rosebud," I whisper, feeling the wetness of her tears fall onto my forehead.

"I don't know. What are any of us going to do without her?" She sniffs and holds me while we both cry.

* * *

I manage to fall asleep a few moments later, despite to the fight I'm trying desperately to put forth. I'm afraid to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see Tanya's SUV hanging off the side of the bridge, and the minute I fall into some sort of slumber, Bella's scream echoes in my ears, waking me abruptly. I just can't seem to process any of this.

I sit up from my slouched position in the waiting room chair. Rose and Angela are both curled up, asleep in their chairs. Emmett is stretched out across the room on the lobby sofa.

I quietly walk to the other side of the ER so I can call my parents and check on Minnie.

"Edward," Alice answers anxiously, "where are you, is everything alright?"

"Bella's still at the bottom of the river, if that's what you meant." My voice bristles.

"Edward… God, I…I know," she says sadly. "I just meant…."

"Fuck, I know what you meant, Smidge...I'm just, I don't know…" My voice trails off. I feel like a complete ass for taking my anger out on her. I know she's just concerned, especially since I took off in the middle of the night.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything hurtful," she says, before swallowing hard over the phone. "When I woke up Jasper told me that you had run out saying you had somewhere to go, asking him to watch the baby."

"Charlie's in the hospital," I explain.

"What? Oh my God, what happened?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh heavily. "Rose called me. She, Em and Angela followed him to the bridge where…." I pause not able to say the words. "He couldn't accept what happened, he dove into the river trying to find her. The rescue team dragged him out, and he was rushed to hospital."

"Jesus, Edward," her voice is filled with anguish. "This night has been a complete nightmare."

I don't respond. I don't know how. The nightmare is just beginning for me.

"Smidge, I just wanted to let you know what's going on and to check on Minnie. How is she? She wasn't sleeping very well."

"Yeah," she agrees and sighs. "She's sleeping soundly now."

"Good. I'm going to be here a little while longer."

"I understand."

"I'll call you later, Smidge."

I end the call and walk over to the nurses' station to see if they have any information on Charlie.

"Hi, um…. is there any new information on Charlie Swan," I ask scrubbing my face as I speak.

"Let me check…it looks like the doctor is still examining him, but for the most part, he looks fine…he's tough as nails," she laugh.

"You can go in to see him in about five minutes."

"Thank you." I lean up against the wall, watching as EMT's roll a gurney through the ER doors. I listen in on their conversation as they draw close.

"She's tough this one. She's a little foggy from the head injury, but other than that, we managed to stop the bleeding on the ride over here. It's a good thing that Range Rover hit some sort of obstacle in the river to keep it from sinking completely. God only knows how she managed to survive."

* * *

**_~~~W~~~_**


	41. Chapter 41, Awakening

**Chapter 41, Awakening**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and everything related to that wonderful work. I own Wedlocked, however._**

**_A/N: This will be the final chapter with a Epilogue to follow. Thank you to all who have read this crazy, dram filled story (some a second time.) I love you all._**

**_EPOV_**

_"She's tough this one. She's a little foggy from the head injury, but other than that, we managed to stop the bleeding on the ride over here. It's a good thing that Range Rover hit some sort of obstacle in the river to keep it from sinking completely. God only knows how she managed to survive."_

I replay the words of the EMT. I repeat it over and over in my head a number of times.

My eyes lock with Rose's. She's on the other side of the room having just woken up and must have overheard their conversation as well. She makes her way toward me at the nurses' station. We make both make the connection at the same time it seems, and we immediately race over to where the EMT is registering the patient with the triage nurse.

_It can't be. _I desperately try to get a glimpse of the woman on the gurney.

"Bella?"

"You know her?" One of them asks, stopping me before I can reach her.

She's pale, her lips blue, and she looks to be soaking wet. Her head is bandaged. She's not moving, which makes my heart plummet.

"Bella! Oh my God," I gasp, my heart now seemingly lodged in my throat as I try to reach for her, but they hold me back.

"She's my girlfriend!"

"Oh my God, Edward it's her!" Rose cries.

"You're Edward Cullen?" The EMT asks.

"Yes!"

"Christ, we've been looking all over for you." They finally let me through.

"Bella, baby." I gently caress her face, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Can you hear me? I'm here, baby."

"Be careful, she's still out of it. She comes to every once in a while, mumbling your name and someone named KC?"

"She's our daughter," I mumble, all I can think of now is Bella's condition. I lean down to kiss her forehead. "Is she alright…how? Oh my God, Bella."

"After everything she's endured, her vitals seem to be relatively stable, and she's talked, so that's a good thing. But she needs to get in to see the doctor right away so they can run some tests."

I caress her face, not understanding the miracle that's unfolding before me. Bella's alive; I can hardly comprehend that fact.

The doctors immediately and perfunctorily check her before rushing her for an emergency CAT scan. I plead to go with her, but they won't allow it.

"Come on, man," Emmett ushers me away from the room. "Let the doctors take care of her. The faster they do, the faster you can go in and be with her."

I nod reluctantly. "She's alive, Em. Shit, I have tell Charlie!" I break away from him and go back to the main desk.

"Is it alright if I go in to see Charlie Swan now?"

"Um, give me a moment to check." She consults with one of the ER doctors.

While I wait, I debate on calling my family to let them know about Bella, but decide that I need to tell Charlie first.

"Are you a relative of Mr. Swan?"

"He's his son-in-law," Rose, butts in. I look at her and frown for a moment, then nod.

"I'm his son-in law."

"He's in room twenty three, straight down the hall, to your left."

"Thanks." I take off, sprinting.

He's out of bed, buttoning his shirt.

"Charlie?" He spins around and his fist collides with my face, sending me crashing into the wall.

_Well, I guess I deserved that._

"Son of bitch!"

I grab at my face as I right my position.

"You're going to pay for everything you and your twisted family ever did to my daughter!" He yells and charges at me again.

"Woah, Charlie, hold on! Bella's okay, she's alive!"

"She's not alright! I was there! She's at the bottom of the fucking river! I should never have trusted you with my daughter! God, Renee, I'm so sorry. I didn't take care of her…I didn't. Please forgive me," he mumbles through his hands.

"Charlie, she is…they just brought her in, she's getting some tests, but she's alive."

He turns and blinks at me, not sure whether to believe me or not.

"I swear on my granddaughter…"

"Charlie, stop. I swear to you, she's alive. I couldn't believe it myself. But she is."

"Where is she?" He asks through gritted teeth, obviously still skeptical.

"She's in with the doctor, just a couple of doors down from you."

"You saw her?"

"I saw her …touched her…kissed her. She's…alive, Charlie," I let out a sound, something between a laugh and a sob.

When he finally seems to believe me, we make our way to wait for the doctors to come and talk to us.

"How the hell did she survive, Edward? I was there." He sounds as if he's still in a state of shock. Can't say I blame him. I feel the same way.

"I don't know, and I don't care. She's alive. She came back to us, and that's all that matters." I run a hand through my hair.

"I called your parents to let them know what's happened," Rose says as she, along with Angela and Emmett, join us.

"What the hell is taking them so long?" I huff in exasperation just as a doctor exits the room.

"She's very lucky," he addresses both Charlie and me. "Her CT scan came back clear. We also did a full skeletal scan to make sure there weren't any broken bones. She did fine with that as well. I'm still concerned with the hypothermia, so she'll be closely monitored until I'm satisfied that she suffers no aftermath of that, and that her head injury is on the mend," he concludes.

"Will my daughter be alright?"

"I'm confident that she'll be fine. Like I said, I want to keep her closely monitored, but she should be back to herself in a few days."

"Oh thank God," Angela exhales and hugs Charlie, then me.

"When can we see her?" Rose asks the doctor anxiously.

"I'm limiting her visits right now, but I'll I allow two visitors, one at a time and briefly."

Charlie quickly heads for Bella's door and is stopped by the doctor.

"Not so fast. You 're supposed to be getting checked out yourself."

"I want to see my daughter."

"You can see her as soon as I'm satisfied that you don't have hypothermia," he firmly ushers Charlie back to his room.

"But I'm fine!"

"Indulge me, okay. I'm a doctor."

Charlie gives in without further protest.

"Edward, tell her that I'm here, and I will be in to see her. Tell her that I love her," he says over his shoulder.

I dart for Bella's room and pause to collect myself before entering. I slowly open the door and peek inside, before stepping through.

My eyes instantly land on her pale, beautiful face. I can hear monitors beeping, but the only thing I can focus on is her.

I approach her bed quietly and sit down, taking her hand in mine, pressing it to the side of my face. It still feels cold, and I rub it gently.

"If you were trying to make me see just how meaningless and empty my life would be without you in it, you've succeeded, Brown Eyes. I'm nothing without you," I whisper.

I look at her more closely, taking in her whole body. She's swaddled tightly to warm her up and keep in her body temperature. She has an extra heating blanket on top of her.

"I know you're hating this." I chuckle wryly looking at all the blankets.

I silently caress her cheek and study her features. I can't believe that I almost lost her; hell, I did lose her. I thought she was gone when that truck went over the bridge.

"Our daughter is so upset with you right now," I joke as I comb my fingers through her damp hair. "You have to wake up soon so I can get you home to her. We have a big move-in day coming up."

She breathes deeply, resting quietly. The only sounds in the room are the beeping of the monitors. I exhale deeply and lean my forehead against the bed rail. Tears escape without warning, as I silently thank God that the nightmare has ended and that Bella has come back to me.

* * *

Daylight is beginning to break, and Bella still hasn't woken, but her vital signs are stable, and her body temperature has warmed up considerably. I kiss her forehead and reluctantly leave the room to stretch my legs and check on Charlie.

I close Bella's door quietly and scrub my face, before rejoining the others who are waiting for an update from me. I pass one of the rooms and catch a glimpse of the patient. It's Tanya. I make my way into the room, but Rose and Emmett block me.

"I don't think that's a wise idea, Edward." Rose presses her hand against my chest.

"You are kidding me, right? She nearly killed Bella. Get out of the way, Rosebud."

"So, an eye for an eye now? You're going to try and kill her, Edward? She's clearly not operating on a full tank. Emmett, do something," she pleads with him.

"Edward, chill out. After everything that's happened in the last twelve hours, Bella is alive. Don't do something that's going to keep you two apart, or something you'll regret later. Think of your daughter," Emmett preaches, shocking the hell out of both Rose and me.

"That was perfect, baby," she whispers to him, and he gives her a wink.

"I'm not going to kill her. I'm not even going to yell. I just need to talk with her. I promise, guys."

They both narrow heir eyes at me skeptically and slowly unblock my path.

I take a deep breath and step up to Tanya's door, only to be stopped again.

"I can't allow you to go in there, Sir. Ms. Denali is extremely upset and waiting for her parents to arrive," the nurse says.

"I'm her ex-husband, Miss. I just want to make sure she's alright." I hope that sways her. She blinks at me momentarily not speaking, and then hesitantly moves aside.

Tanya has her head in her hands, sobbing silently. She doesn't realize that I've entered.

"Are you alright?" I keep my voice soft but there is no mistaking my barely contained anger and loathing. Truth is, I want to dart across the room and wring her scrawny neck, but what good would it do?

Her head jerks up, and she gasps. She looks a complete and utter mess.

"What …what are y…you d…doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here, Tanya?" My anger spikes. She sniffles and shakes her head.

"You don't care about me." She runs her hands through her thick, curly hair.

"I cannot fucking believe you! After everything that's happened tonight, you still think this is all about you. Do you have any idea what you've done, Tanya? You almost killed Bella, and her father nearly killed himself tonight because of it!"

Tears spill over her red-rimmed lids, as she looks anywhere but directly at me.

"I didn't mean …I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just wanted her away from you."

I scoff at her admission and step closer. Her eyes finally meet mine and widen in uncertainly. She's not sure what I'm about to do.

"Well, let's see. Bella nearly bled to death and drowned by your hands. I'd call that attempted murder, and let's not forget kidnapping, and all for what? You still don't have me, Tanya; you'll _never _have me. So let me ask you, was it all worth it?"

Her lips quiver as I glare at her before leaving.

In light of everything that's happened, I cannot help but feel somewhat sorry for her, she is such a pathetic person, but her actions tonight have been criminal, and she'll have to face up to and live with the consequences of her actions.

I notice Tanya's parents speaking to the triage nurse at the front desk.

"I have a few of your ex-wife's belongings, Sir, if you would like to hold on to them." The nurse holds a plastic bag out to me frowning, as I frown, not accepting it.

"No, I wouldn't. I don't want to hold on to my ex-wife's _anything_."

"You said it correctly, Edward… _ex-wife_, which means you have no entitlement to anything," Windsor adds, storming up to me with Tanya's mother by his side.

"Tanya all but killed Bella and herself tonight, Windsor. She needs help."

"I don't know what's happened. All I know is that I got a phone call saying that my daughter has been admitted into the hospital, and that I needed to get here right away. I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Now, if you'll excuse me, my wife and I would like to find out what's going on with our daughter." He steps past me to speak with the nurse.

"You do that and make sure to get her a good lawyer, she's going to need one," I respond, causing them to stop and turn back to look at me with confused looks on their faces.

I sigh and walk back to Bella's room. She still hasn't woken.

I gently tuck her blankets in around her. I move to the foot of the bed and massage her feet through the thick layer of blankets.

"Take all the time you need, Brown Eyes. When you wake up, I'll be here waiting for you."

Bella's nurse enters to check her vital signs and set up her IV drip.

"She's doing well. Her vitals are good, and she's getting pink back in her cheeks and lips," she says quietly, looking over her shoulder at me.

"Yeah, you have no idea how happy I am to see that blush on her face. Isn't that right, Brown Eyes?"

"You call her Brown eyes? That's so sweet," she smiles and slides the syringe slowly into her IV. "This is just a Saline drip. I can hear you wondering," she laughs softly. "Keep doing what you're doing." She points to me massaging Bella's feet. "And talk to her. She'll be waking up in no time," she reassures as she exits the room.

"You hear that, baby? No excuses. Come back to me."

* * *

Later that morning, I wake, slouched down in a chair in the corner of Bella's room. My eyes immediately turn to her. She seems to be resting comfortably, still sleeping. I glance over at the clock on the wall and scrub my face. I cross the room to her and plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I love you. I'm going home to see our little girl. I'll be back as soon as I can." I softly kiss her silent lips before I leave.

"Hey, how is she?" Rose catches me leaving Bella's room.

"She's still not awake, but her color's come back, so that's a good sign," I sigh. "I'm going to my parents' house to be with Minnie for a little while. She's going to be fussy knowing that her mom isn't there. I have to be there to comfort her."

"Yeah, of course, Edward. Go, be with her. We're not going anywhere until Bella wakes up," Angela adds, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

"Thanks."

I stop in to see Charlie before making my way to see my daughter.

* * *

Exhausted, I walk through my parents' front door and am immediately approached by my family.

"Is it true, is Bella alright!" Alice probes anxiously. "Rose called and said that they brought her into the hospital."

I run a hand through my hair and smile as I wrap my arms around her.

"She's alive, Smidge."

"Oh thank God," my mother gasps with tears in her eyes, and James comes over to embrace me.

"That's the best news I could ever hear, man."

"What are you doing here, Son? You should be at the hospital with Bella." My father walks up to give me an affectionate and comforting hug.

"I'm here to check on Minnie. She's so used to Bella being with her, she has to be feeling something is off, so I wanted to at least be here with her … feed and bathe her, keep to her morning routine."

"I understand fully, Son. She's upstairs, still sleeping. Your sister has already warmed her bottle."

"Thank you, Smidge," I turn to my sister and kiss her on the cheek, before racing upstairs to see my daughter.

She's awake, quietly watching the mobile in her crib. She's such a good baby, although I know she must be feeling some anxiety from being away from her mother for so long.

I walk over and peek in at her, and her eyes lock with mine. She immediately kicks her legs and reaches for me in excitement.

"Hey, sunshine," I laugh lifting her out of the crib. I hold her close and close my eyes, taking in her scent and warmth, also taking in a moment to process the whirlwind events that have taken place.

"Mommy's okay, my sweet girl. She's okay, and she'll be home soon to kiss and hug you." I nuzzle her cheek and kiss her gently.

I can hardly believe the words. It's almost as if the past 24 hours never occurred. If I were not faced with the fact that Bella is lying in a hospital ward, recovering from a near death experience, the world this morning would seem unchanged.

"How is she?"

I turn to see my mother standing in the doorway.

"She's the most perfect thing, Mom."

"That she is, and although I would never pass up the chance to gush over my gorgeous granddaughter, I was speaking of Bella." She walks over to me and rubs KC's back.

"She's unconscious," I sigh heavily, "but it's not a bad thing, she's getting the rest she needs. The doctors are confident that she'll be waking up in no time. I'm just so happy that she's alive." I shake my head in happiness and disbelief.

"I know you are, baby. I'm happy and relieved for you and Kennedy …Charlie too. How is he, by the way?"

"He's okay. He was ready to kill me until he found out Bella was alive. I can't blame him. When I thought she was gone, I didn't know how I was going to go on without her, how I was going to tell this precious little one when she was old enough that her Mom was gone." My mother hands me Kennedy's bottle, and I begin to feed her.

"I never noticed until now, how much you truly love her. I would never allow myself to see that she makes you happy," she responds sadly and smiles at the sight of me bonding with my daughter. "I was wrong, Masen. Bella completes you. I see that now. I am truly sorry for my past behavior. "

"She does complete me, Mom. And I can see that you're sorry. But more than me, you owe Bella an apology. Your treatment of her has been indescribably irrational and appalling. You've hurt Bella and me, and indirectly you've hurt your granddaughter. Because of your collusion with Tanya, you caused so much heartbreak and in some small part, although not meaning to, you may have contributed to the tragedy that nearly overtook us. It nearly cost both Bella and Charlie their lives and robbed Kennedy of her mother and me of the love of my life. You have to stop this, Mom. You've hurt and alienated all your children. You also owe James and Smidge an apology, because you have also tainted their happiness. You have a lot to apologize and make up for. But, I love you, Mom, we all do, and really what we want is our mother back. We do not need a matchmaker or a controlling matriarch, but a mother."

Throughout my speech, which I know has been long overdue; her face has morphed from surprise to pain and finally recognition and acceptance. She knows that she is wrong. But we three kids, and in some small way, my father, have allowed her to get out of control over the years. It's time that we behave like a family and not a dynasty; we can all learn lessons from this near-tragedy and from the grace and courage that Bella has shown through all of this.

With tears slowly rolling unchecked down her face, she leans up and gives me a kiss on my cheek.

"You're right…about everything, Masen. My behavior can only be described as deplorable, and I'm so ashamed, not only of the way I've treated the woman you love, the mother of your child, but because of the way I've hurt my own children. I can never take back the things that I've done. What I hope and pray for, is that all of you, especially Bella, can forgive me and allow me the chance to prove that I can and will change."

"Well, that's up to Bella to decide, Mom, but your children will always love and forgive you. I'm sure I speak for all of us in saying this."

She brushes away her tears, takes a deep breath and nods in understanding.

"Now, give me the baby. You go and get showered and changed so you can hurry back to the hospital before she wakes," she takes Kennedy from my arms. I kiss them both and take her advice happily. I love my daughter immensely, but at the moment the only place I can think about being is at Bella's side.

Something short of a miracle has happened. Bella is alive. She came back to me… to us, and I'm never going to take the woman I love for granted again.

All showered and changed, I kiss my daughter goodbye and promise her that she'll see her mom soon and head back to the hospital.

* * *

**_The next morning..._**

I'm lying with my head resting comfortably on her stomach, when I feel movement in my hair, a gentle grip. I slowly raise my head and see that Bella's awake. She's watching me with half-lidded eyes.

"Hey," I exclaim in a hushed tone.

"Hey." She responds hoarsely.

"You have no idea how…." I shake my head at the memory.

"I'm sorry," she swallows hard.

"Sorry for what? I'm the one who's sorry, Brown Eyes. Tanya would never have…." I pause and pull her hand from my hair, kissing it lightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you," she rasps. "KC?" She closes her eyes and reopens them slowly.

"She's fine …at my parents' house …angry with you for missing her feeding," I laugh softly, causing her to smile.

"You should see how she gets this little frown when she's mad, her eyebrows knit together, it's really adorable."

"She gets that from you." She forces out hoarsely. "I'm sorry."

"Why do you keep saying that? You have nothing to be sorry for." I frown, and she traces her finger over my frown line.

"She gets it from you," she repeats, and it brings a smile to my face. "I ruined your surprise."

_Oh that…well…_

"You didn't ruin anything. We have plenty of time," I reassure her with a smile.

"No."

"No? No what, baby?"

"We don't have plenty of time. I almost drowned tonight, Edward."

I cringe at her statement.

"You remember what happened?"

"Ask me now," she ignores my question.

I blink, searching her face. She's serious.

This isn't close to the way I pictured this happening.

"Ask me," her voice is a bit stronger, "unless you don't want to anymore. Maybe I'm too hideous." She jokes.

"Stop it. You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Bella Swan, and I never _ever_ want to live this life without you." I pause and stroke her cheek. "Will you marry me?"

"I didn't think I would get to ever hear you ask me that question." Her voice trembles. "Yes, I'll marry you."

My smile spreads across my face, and I lean up to kiss her tenderly on the lips. The moment is abruptly interrupted.

"I knew you would be in here molesting her already. Time's up, lover boy," Rose enters, sassy as ever. " You, I'm going to kill," she motions to Bella and walks over, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Rose." Bella rolls her eyes humorously.

"Charlie sent me in here to kick Edward out so he could come in, but from the looks of you two, I think I may need a crowbar."

My head is still on Bella's abdomen, and she's still playing with my hair. I can't believe that after all that's happened she wants to marry me, she _is _marrying me. She said yes.

"I'll try and hold Charlie off for a few more minutes. Alice, James and your parents have arrived, Edward."

"No, Rose, tell my Dad to come in, please. We have something to tell him," Bella says, tilting my chin to look at her.

"And let the doctor know she's awake," I add.

"Okay."

"You sure you want to do this?" I ask, skeptically. "He's pretty pissed off at me."

"Why…what's happened?"

"Well…." I start just as Charlie rushes through the door. I stand up from the bed so he can hug Bella.

"Hey kiddo, you scared the natural hell outta me." He breathes a deep sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy, but I feel okay." I quietly slip out of the door, letting them have some alone time.

I join my family who's just arrived. My mother is holding a small picnic basket and meets me halfway.

"Irina is taking care of Kennedy. Have you eaten anything, sweetheart? I had Irina whip up a few leftovers from dinner last night."

"I can't eat a thing. I'm so relieved and shocked right now. I'm just happy. Bella's awake, and I asked her to marry me, and she said yes."

"Oh my God!" Alice squeals and throws her arms around me.

"Wow! Congratulations, little brother. You don't slow down, do you?" James says.

"Hey, it was her idea! I was fully prepared to wait, but Bella knew about me intending to propose to her, and she told me to ask her, so I did."

"Bella wants to see you." Charlie pokes his head out of the door and motions for me, and I go right to her side.

"Hey, gorgeous," I kiss her forehead.

"You're the worst liar." She smiles and ruffles my hair.

"Okay, Edward's here. What do you want to tell me?" Charlie interrupts, clearing his throat loudly.

"You want me to?" I whisper, smiling at her.

She nods, and I turn to Charlie, who's watching us impatiently with his arms folded.

"I asked Bella to marry me…do I still have your blessing Charlie?"

"Let me get this straight. You promised to take care of my daughter, and then your crazy ex-wife kidnaps her, nearly kills her, and you want me to give you my blessing?" His voice rises steadily throughout his tirade, causing our smiles to fade.

"Dad…" Bella says worriedly.

"Charlie, come on, we love each other and…"

"You have my blessing," he cuts me off, and Bella and I look at each other confused for a moment then back to Charlie who's smirking at us.

"Yeah?"

"I already gave it to you, kid." He walks up to me and rests his hand on my shoulder. "Although, I think it's up to my daughter if she wants to marry you?" He looks at Bella.

She looks at me and smiles brightly.

"I do."


	42. Chapter 42, Epilogue

**_Epilogue_**

**_Six months later…._**

**_EPOV_**

"Minnie baby, come on, eat a little for daddy, please?"

"No!"

"Mmm, yummy. Look, Minnie, daddy's eating some… mmmm. It's so good. Now you try some."

"No!"

_Damn it! How does your mother get you to eat in the morning?_

Bella's at an important interview, and I'm having the morning from hell with my daughter, mashed bananas and oatmeal everywhere, everywhere but in her mouth and tummy.

"Minnie," I try again, dipping her spoon into the bananas, then the oatmeal, holding it up to her lips. She shakes her head in fervent protest.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

"Okay, fine. You don't want to eat daddy's special oatmeal that I prepared just for you, that's fine," I huff and remove the bowl from in front of her, and take it to the sink to wash. The act seems to excite her, because she starts to clap and cheer.

"Yaaaay!"

"Oh, you're funny." I give her my best annoyed look.

"Mmm, da da, da da, me me me!" She babbles and shakes her hand, sending the banana that she's squished between her fingers flying around the kitchen.

_Bella where are you? I'm about to lose it!_

She's eleven months old today, and her behavior epitomizes toddlers of that age, as they discover the ability to exert their own will. And compounding those natural tendencies, the fact that she's a Cullen means that she's doing things at an accelerated pace.

She's a handful, and even though I'm slightly annoyed that she won't eat her breakfast, I love every minute of her stubbornness. So much like me in that respect, how can a father be upset?

KC is growing rapidly before my eyes. She has bouncy red curls that hang just above her shoulders, her cheeks are full and round, and she has the biggest, brightest eyes you'd ever want to see.

She's also starting to pull herself up to stand, and I know we're going to be in trouble soon.

My and Bella's intimate life has deteriorated exponentially with KC getting older. She's commanding more attention, taking fewer naps and staying awake longer, giving us holy hell when it's time for bed. Bella had warned me not to let her sleep in our bed so often. Now I'm paying for it, blue balls and a lot of self-pleasuring.

_Boy, do I love my daughter._

"Da, da, da…mmm."

I smile and shake my head, walking over to lift her out of her highchair.

"I do love you, little one; even if you give your daddy a hard time." I kiss her forehead and clean her up before heading into the living room. I sit her on the floor, and she immediately engrosses herself in her toys.

I take the opportunity to look over some stock portfolios, which James has sent over. I've only just settled on the sofa, when Bella walks through the door.

"Back so soon?" I look up from the paper, gauging her expression. She looks happy.

"Hi, baby!" KC immediately drops her alphabet blocks and crawls over to greet Bella. "The interview went well. I think they were impressed with me." She smiles brightly.

"That's terrific, when do you start?"

"Well, I met with one of the vet's and a couple of assistants who gave me a tour. They said they'd call me in next week to meet the full staff and to start the hiring process." She beams with excitement as she comes over to sit next to me and kisses me on the cheek.

"Edward, I'm so excited about this position. The hours are perfect too. They're flexible with my schedule for school and caring for KC."

"That's awesome, Brown Eyes. Are they flexible with your wedding schedule as well, you do know we're getting married in the next couple of weeks, right?" I kiss her on the lips quickly and rise from the sofa, preparing to leave for the office.

"Ha, ha, very funny, the wedding will be fine."

"It absolutely will be. Oh, and speaking of our daughter, I made her a good, nutritious breakfast, and she did everything but eat it."

"What did you make for her?" She eyes me skeptically.

"Don't look at me like that. It was oatmeal and bananas. Maybe you can get something into her tummy." I reach out and tickle KC, and she giggles.

"Oatmeal and bananas? Edward, she hates that stuff." She admonishes as she follows me into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I noticed," I scoff and grab my thermos and fill it with coffee. I watch as she sits Minnie back in her highchair then reaches in the closet for a box of cereal. She sprinkles them out on the tray and hands her a Sippy cup with milk, and our daughter has the audacity to begin eating like it's her last meal.

"Now, I'm offended. It shouldn't come as a surprise that our daughter has picked up your bad eating habits." I joke.

"Hey, these are Honey Nut Cheerios." She shakes the box at me. "They're healthy, and she's drinking milk…there, instant breakfast."

"Yeah, some breakfast." I turn my nose up in disgust. "Anyway, congratulations on the new job. I have to meet James at the office."

"Angela's really worried about him. How's he been doing since…." She winces a little, not knowing how to word her question.

I inhale deeply and shake my head in exasperation. "He's hiding behind work and lying to everyone, saying that he's fine. I really don't know what to do to help him get past this."

She sighs with worry, and strokes my face tenderly. I smile down at her, staring into those brown eyes I love so much and silently give thanks for having a woman like her in my life. I just wish James would realize that he could have that too.

"Will you be home for dinner?" She straightens my tie and hands me my briefcase.

"I wouldn't miss it. I love you… and you." I kiss her forehead and then kiss KC's cheek. She tries to feed me a soggy cheerio, and I graciously accept. "By the way, Alice told me to tell you that she'll be here at two o'clock to finalize some wedding plans. Have fun with that." I wink and flash a smile before leaving. Her expression is priceless.

.

.

.

Lauren hands me my mail as I walk through the lobby.

James is already there and working at my desk; papers scattered and files stacked high. He looks like he hasn't slept in days. Considering everything that's happened in the last couple of months, I guess I can sympathize.

"Hey." I greet him, interrupting whatever he's doing that has him so engrossed.

"Hey, did you have a chance to look over those portfolios?" He barely acknowledges me, getting straight to business.

"James….man, have you been here all night?"

"Yeah…why, is that a problem?" He finally looks up with wild eyes and equally wild hair, like he's been tearing it out by the roots.

"No, it's not a problem for me, but…" I place my briefcase on the desk and take a seat in front of him.

"But what? You have something to say, spit it out, Edward," he snaps, and I clench my teeth to keep from returning a bristly response.

"Nothing…I was just concerned for my brother, that's all," I mumble as I move to get up.

"Edward?" He stops me, and I look at him. I haven't seen him look so lost since the break-up between him and Leah.

"What is it?"

"Do you think Mom ever does anything out of concern for the well-being of her children, or is she just plain selfish?"

I look away and sigh heavily before I return to my seated position. I dread having to answer this question, but I do. He needs someone who understands and has been through the ramifications of what Esme Cullen bestows upon the ones she loves.

"I'm not about to sit here and make excuses for Mom, James, but it's been over three months. I think you should at least try and hear her out."

He presses back into the chair and roughly scrubs his face with both hands. "That woman has been lying to me my entire life, Edward. She kept the identity of my father a secret. You should know firsthand how that must feel. The only difference is that KC will never have to know how Bella kept her paternity a secret from you."

My anger spikes. "Look, James, I know you're upset, but keep Bella out of this. There were different circumstances for what went on between Bella and me."

"Yeah, I know, but the lie is the same."

It's pointless for me to try and argue that. He's exactly right. More times than I care to count, I've found myself a little upset over Bella not telling me about KC in the beginning. There's so much I would have loved to experience with her; like indulging her midnight cravings and soothing her swollen feet. Even more than that, I would've given anything to be there to see my daughter being brought into the world. I feel like I've missed so much. But Bella's no Esme, and I'm no Aro. The situations are undoubtedly different.

After the entire Denali Oil debacle, Aro found out that certain bank records had accidently fallen into the wrong hands. James used those records to help me out the jam I was in with Tanya, by exposing Windsor Denali's bankruptcy. Aro was livid, and the true reason behind his secret buyout of Cullen Oil stock and takeover of Denali Oil was revealed.

**_Flashback_**

_"I'm sorry Sir, you can't go in there. Mr. Cullen has given strict instructions that he needs to be notified when…"_

_"Then notify him, but I'm not waiting." Aro boasts out in the lobby. I open my office door to see what the commotion is about._

_"Lauren, what seems to be the problem? Aro, can I help you?"_

_"I'd like to speak with your brother, Edward. It's imperative."_

_"Well, James is in a meeting right now, but I'll tell him to give you a call when he's available."_

_"I've just taken a six hour flight from Italy, I WILL see him now!"_

_I stare at this man, eyes widened and nostrils flared. His anger is obviously targeted toward my brother, and I'm well aware of the reason behind his ire. But he's out of his mind if thinks I'm going to just throw my brother into the line of fire. He'll have to deal with me first._

_"Aro, I can see you're upset, please come into my office and we can get to the root of the matter in a civilized manner." I gesture for him to enter, and he does without hesitation._

_"Lauren, once James is out of the meeting, patch him through to my office."_

_"Yes, Mr. Cullen."_

_"Now, how can I…"_

_"Spare me the manners, Edward. I know what you and James have done. I've just paid a visit to Windsor, and he's backed out of selling me Denali Oil."_

_I sigh softly and take a seat behind my desk. "Aro, you know as well as I do how business works. Nothing is ever what it seems, things change at the drop of a hat. I simply delivered Windsor a better offer." _

_"You were only able to extend that offer because James stole confidential bank records and used them to your advantage," he snaps._

_"He didn't steal a thing. Your receptionist is obviously incompetent at her job."_

_"And I guess that has nothing to do with the fact that James has been boinking her brains out!"_

_My eyebrows rise quickly at his turn of phrase. _

_I clear my throat quietly in an attempt to get the conversation back on track. "Listen Aro, that sounds like something you need to take up with people you employ. James saw an opening, and he took it. And may I add, if he had not stumbled upon that file 'accidentally', Cullen Oil would probably be facing the same problem Windsor was. You've been busy, Aro."_

_He stares at me and sneers._

_"The only thing I'm guilty of, is wanting to give James the chance you and Carlisle failed to give him; to be more than a silent partner, to showcase what he really can do in this business. Your brother is a genius, he deserves to be more than 'second in line,' for no reason other than having the wrong DNA."_

_My jaw clenches as I try and rein in my boiling temper._

_"You know nothing about James or my family."_

_"Oh, I know more than you think. Just ask your dear mother." He whispers the last word menacingly just as James walks through the door._

_"You wanted to see me?" _

_"Here he is, the man of the hour." Aro claps his hands together and smiles deviously at me. "Why don't you bring your brother up to speed, Edward?"_

**_End of Flashback_**

That day turned into an unmitigated debacle, and our family's laundry was aired in front of the entire company by the time my mother and father arrived.

Aro is James' father, and my brother hasn't been the same since he found out.

"Edward….did you hear what I said?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said I'm sorry for attacking Bella like that. You know how I feel about her, and you know that I'm happy that things worked out between you two. You're getting ready to marry the mother of your child, the love of your life. It's how it should be."

"I know you meant nothing by it, James, but please consider what I said about Mom. She may not deserve another chance, but she's our mother."

He stands and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder as he walks to the door. "I don't know if I have any more chances to give, Edward." He opens the door. "Forgiveness should be a treasured gift."

"You're right, but the thing about forgiveness is that it's not just a one time only gift."

He gives me a weak smile, before he finally leaves. I exhale and gaze at the mountain of paperwork on my desk.

"That was a beautiful statement. Does it hold true for me as well?"

I turn in surprise at the sound of her voice. "Tanya?"

.

.

.

We sit out on the park bench alongside the Cullen Oil parking lot. I still can't believe that she's here.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Edward."

"You didn't give me much choice, you just showed up. I'll have to have a talk with Lauren and the first floor security team later."

"Please don't come down too hard on them. I pretty much charmed my way in."

"Same old Tanya up to her same old tricks."

"Old habits do die hard." She chuckles softly and looks down at her knotted fingers.

"What are you doing here, Tanya?" My annoyance is unmistakable, and her head snaps up at my tone.

"I just needed to see you. I was released from hospital two days ago, l and I was hoping…"

"You _do _know that you're in direct violation of your probation?" I interrupt, and I watch as she swallows hard.

"Please, Edward, don't report my coming to see you to anyone. I would've tried to contact you first, but I figured that you wouldn't talk to me at all."

"You figured right. You have a lot of nerve coming here after what you did to Bella. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call the police and have you thrown back into jail?"

"Because of forgiveness."

I look at her and shake my head in disbelief. "You're kidding me, right?"

"I heard what you said to James and…"

"That was a conversation between me and my brother. It had nothing to do with you, and believe me it's a hell of a lot easier for him to forgive what he needs to, than for me to forgive attempted murder." I move to stand, prepared to leave.

"Edward, wait, please just hear me out." She pulls my wrist. My eyes immediately dart to hers, before I move my gaze down to her hand. She gingerly releases her grip.

"That would be mistake number two, the first was showing up. If I were you, I'd leave now, Tanya."

"Edward, please….I-I'm so sorry…I just…" She plops back down onto the bench and covers her eyes as she weeps softly.

There's nothing that plays on my sympathy more than seeing a woman cry, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to tell her to go and pull the waterworks routine with her psychiatrist, because it wasn't having an effect on me. I didn't want to appear heartless, so I did the only thing I could.

"Here." I hand her the handkerchief from my pocket, and she takes it with a trembling hand, dabbing at her eyes.

"Thank you." She sniffles softly.

I look off into the distance, regretting what I'm about to do next.

"You have three minutes, Tanya, and this is the only time that I'll grant you. After today, I want you to never to contact me in any manner, or I _will_ report you to the authorities. Am I clear?"

She simply shakes her head and resumes dabbing at her face.

"I just wanted to say that I'm truly ashamed of my behavior and all the terrible things I've done to you."

"And to Bella, Tanya. What about all of the things you did to her? She could be dead right now, and you could be serving a life sentence, all because you couldn't accept the fact that I love her." My anger reaches boiling point, and she's only spoken one sentence. This was a bad idea. She needs to leave. I can still see the resentment and jealousy she feels toward Bella at the mere mention of her name.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, but you didn't let me finish, Edward. I'll spend the rest of my life being sorry for what I did. I-I know how you feel about her now…"Her voice trails off, as she hangs her head in shame.

"Her name is Bella, and I love her! You can't even bring yourself to say it, but it doesn't matter. This little attempt at atonement for your sins is half-hearted at best…"

"I swear, Edward, I _am_ sorry for everything, and if you'll allow me, I want to make it up to both you and Bella." She pleads, and I have to take a step back to keep from shaking some sense into her. I run my hand through my hair and point at her. A look of trepidation plays across her face.

"You stay away from Bella and me. THAT is the best way to make amends. Good luck with your life, Tanya."

I make my way back inside without a backward glance and stop at the security office to let my voice be heard about the need to upgrade building clearances.

.

.

.

I lie staring at the ceiling, while Bella plays with KC on the bed next to me.

"Jump, jump, jump, KC!"

Sadie barks in excitement at the two of them. One would think that I'd be going out of my mind at the change in my living situation; but right now, all I can think about is how I'm going to tell Bella about Tanya's release from the mental institution.

"I've picked out the most adorable flower-girl dress for her, didn't I sweetie."

"That should be interesting, considering that she can barely walk."

"What's with you? It was your idea to have KC as flower-girl, after all." She frowns at me, and I instantly regret the way my words may have sounded.

"Tanya paid me a visit today. She's been released from the hospital."

"She was released today?" The expression on her face instantly turns to one of worry.

"She was released two days ago, after undergoing six-months of treatment in a mental facility. She's on probation for two more years."

She kisses KC and hands her a bottle, lying her down on the pillow.

"Okay…um…what does she want, what did she say?"

"She wants forgiveness."

She scoffs and climbs out of bed to pace the floor. "Forgiveness? She still thinks she's entitled to something, _anything_ from you!"

"Christ, Bella calm down."

"Calm down? She tried to kill me, Edward!"

I scrub a hand over my face and mumble. "This is why I didn't tell you about this the other day."

She stops and pulls my hand away from my face. "What do you mean, 'the other day,' how long have you known that Tanya's been out, Edward?"

_Shit!_

"Bella…" I sigh in exasperation.

"How long?"

"I knew that she was being released a week before her release date."

"Oh my God, and you didn't tell me?" She yells in shock.

"I didn't want you worry. Come on, Brown eyes, I knew you'd overreact and…"

"Overreact?" She shouts, and her eyes blaze with fury."

"Maybe that was the wrong choice of words."

"You're damned right, those were the wrong choice of words. That woman tried to kill me, and you're saying I'm overreacting. And on top of that, you're still keeping things about her from me. Tell me something, Edward, how in the world do you expect me to marry a man who never tells me the truth?"

She storms out of the bedroom, practically slamming the door. The noise startles the baby. Thank God she's too exhausted to cry. I reach over and pick her up to lie on my chest.

"Definitely the wrong choice of words, Minnie." I kiss her forehead as we both drift off to sleep.

.

.

.

The next morning, I decide to callout from the office. I have some major making up to do, and I feel that it's going to take the entire day to do it. I shower, put on a pair of clean pajama pants and make my way to the kitchen. Bella's standing in front of the stove, preparing something for breakfast.

I ease behind her and kiss her neck.

"It smells delicious. What are we having?" I move her soft hair to one side and place more lingering kisses along her neck and cheek.

"_We_ aren't having anything. _I'm_ having an egg-white omelet." She moves away, and I can tell from her coldness that she's clearly still pissed off.

"Where's KC?"

"Your sister took her to Gymboree." She slides the omelet onto a plate and leaves the kitchen.

_Okay, this is going to take more work than I thought._

"I know you're angry…"

"I'm not angry. I just don't care any longer. It's become clear to me that you're always going to keep things from me, so why should I waste my time caring about it," she says nonchalantly as she sips her orange juice and reads the morning paper.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean, 'you don't care any longer'?

She simply shakes her head and continues to read.

"You don't care about me any longer, Bella?"

Her stubbornness infuriates me to no end, and I hastily remove the newspaper from her grasp.

"You are such a jerk! Give me the paper back, Edward."

"Forget it," I hold it out of her reach. "Answer the question, Bella."

"I will not continue to be lied to, or marry a man who _chooses_ to lie to me!"

"That's twice you've made reference to not marrying me. What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I think I've made myself clear, Edward."

"You don't want to marry me…is that what you're saying?"

"Yes!"

Her response momentarily stuns me, but then my anger takes control.

"Well, too bad. I love you, and the church has been booked, so I'll be waiting for you at the end of that aisle in two weeks!"

The expression on her face defies description.

.

.

.

"Fancy seeing you here, Edward. What gives?"

"I haven't had one of these things since Bella stopped working here." I motion to the cup I'm holding.

"So, you had a craving for an Iced Coffee, I get that, but why are you out here sitting alone."

I sigh heavily and toss the partially filled cup into the garbage. "She says she doesn't want to marry me, Angela."

"What? I can't believe she said that. Bella loves you, and I happen to know that she wants nothing more than to marry you."

"Nope, she said it this morning. I think I finally blew it."

"Okay, it's clear you two must've had a disagreement about something, and I won't ask what it is. But honestly, after everything the two of you have gone through, I know that you can make it through anything. Give her some time to cool off. It's the way I deal with your brother." She winks, and I smile at her.

"You're good for him. I just hope he realizes that before he fucks up and loses you."

"He won't lose me, and ditto for you. So stop fucking up." She pats me on the back and heads back in to finish her shift.

.

.

.

I come in late from work to find her reading in bed.

"Hey." I say quietly.

"Hey."

"I went in the nursery to kiss Minnie goodnight. She's fast asleep."

"Well, it is past her bedtime."

Her responses are still short, a clear sign that she's still angry. I need to find a way to fix this.

I sit on the edge of the bed and remove my shoes, then unbutton my shirt. Looking over my shoulder, I notice that she's still reading, not paying me one iota of attention.

'I see you're still wearing your engagement ring."

"Well, you didn't leave me much choice, practically ordering me to walk down the aisle in two weeks."

I hang my head, shaking it in despair.

"I didn't tell you about Tanya, because I knew it would upset you."

"It's my choice to be upset, Edward, and after everything that woman has put me through, I'd say I've earned the right."

"You're right." I nod my head in agreement, but deep down, I don't feel the least bit sorry that I didn't tell her. She's been so happy lately with getting the new job and the wedding, I just couldn't stand to see the disappointment and fear in her eyes once she found out about Tanya

"Has she contacted you again?

"No…I told her to leave us alone."

"I'm sure she's going to heed those words." Her sarcasm is blatant. "I still can't, for the life of me understand how, after everything we've gone through; you lying to me about her in the beginning, me keeping the truth from you about KC, that this would still be an issue for us."

"I had every intention of telling you. It just took me a few days to let it all sink in. Our lives have been happy and drama-free with Tanya having been put away. I hadn't imagined that her case would be reevaluated, and that she'd basically get off for what she did to you with just a slap on the wrist. She did six months, Bella, and her remaining time has been reduced to ankle bracelet monitoring and monthly reporting to a probation officer, which doesn't start until the day after tomorrow. I just didn't want to worry you."

She sighs and sets down the book she's reading aside. "I know you didn't tell me because you had the best of intentions; but you can't keep doing things like this, Edward. If you do, we're not going to make it."

Her words are like a kick to the gut. I don't think I could stomach a life without her, and especially because of this. I don't think she'll ever be able to truly understand why I do the things I feel are necessary to protect her.

"I made a promise to you—we made promises to each other to never keep things from the other again, and I will do my best to honor that promise for the rest of our lives, but Bella….I love you more than I can express, and I'll always protect you….no matter what. I know you don't understand that, but if you don't want to marry me, then I understand. You're off the hook."

I leave and make my way to the shower. I close my eyes and stand under the spray. I'm hurt, and if my emotions wanted to reflect just how hurt I am, the water would be the perfect disguise.

The steam from the shower escapes as the door opens, and she steps inside. We stare silently into each other's eyes for some time; her hands slowly roam over my upper body.

"You're not letting me off the hook, Edward Cullen. I never want to hear you say that again. I'll forever, always love you."

"I love you." I lean down to softly kiss her lips, moving us both under the spray, letting it consume us in its warmth. "Forever."

.

.

.

**_12 p.m. Saturday Afternoon_**

I glance around; worried and confused eyes stare back at me. The pews are adorned with swathes of beautiful white satin, and a sprinkling of white rose petals leads the way to the end of the aisle, where I wait.

It's been five minutes, and the wedding march has started twice. Bella hasn't appeared at the head of that aisle on either occasion.

I swallow hard as my eyes lock with James'. He does his duty as best man by giving me a reassuring look. He gestures discreetly with his hand that everything is fine, but it does nothing for my shattered nerves. I pull at the collar on my shirt, feeling a tad claustrophobic. Alice senses my stress and steps over to whisper in my ear.

"I'll go check on her."

I nod and wait in place. I hear worried murmurs throughout the church, and I have to literally bite my tongue to keep from telling them to shut the hell up.

_That's perfect, Cullen. Lash out at your wedding guests. At least you'll have outdone the engagement party fiasco. _

Thinking about that night raises my anxiety even more, and I move to go and see her myself.

"Hey, where are you going?" James stops me.

"This is ridiculous. I need to talk to Bella."

"No you don't. Alice is back there with her. She's being a typical bride. Give her a few moments to get herself together."

"I'll give her three minutes. If she's not getting ready to walk down that aisle, I'm going back there."

Alice returns and approaches me briskly. She pulls me to the side.

"She's not back there, Edward."

"What the hell do you mean, she's not back there? Where's Charlie?"

"I don't know. I didn't see Rose either."

I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as my parents, carrying KC, make their way over to Alice and me.

"What's happened, where's Bella?"

"We don't know, Dad."

_Tanya!_

"Tanya." I nearly choke.

"What…what are you talking about, Edward?" My mother perks up at the mention of her name.

"She must have done something. Tanya must've done something to Bella." I push past James and start for the back, when I see Rose appear.

"Sorry for the delay, but the bride is ready now. She forgot something very special and refused to walk down the aisle without it." She nods for the pianist to start. The song picks up once more, and the church quiets. Everyone turns to face the back of the church.

My parents cautiously return to their seats in the front, handing KC over to Alice. Everyone, including the minister has returned to his or her rightful place.

I look back at James who mouths, 'Tanya?'

Returning a sheepish look, I mouth, 'later.'

As the music softly plays, Alice walks down the aisle, helping KC gently drop flower petals along the way. The vision is enough to stir deep emotions inside of me.

Angela follows behind Alice and beams at James. He returns an affectionate smile, and I know without a doubt, that she's the one for him.

Rose takes her place next to Angela, and the wedding march starts. Al heads turn to face the place where Bella is expected to emerge from.

Charlie kisses Bella and links his arm with hers. The sounds of guests gasping as they marvel at Bella's beauty can be heard rustling through the church. My heart speeds up as I inhale deeply, then release a huge breath of relief.

Charlie guides Bella down the aisle with a look of pride, my heart swells with joy with each approaching step they take. She's breathtaking without even trying, but on this day, at this very moment, I've never seen her look more beautiful.

The piano solo ends as our eyes lock, hers shine with tears of happiness. I smile at my beautiful Brown Eyes.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?"

"That would be me, Father," Charlie replies and kisses Bella's cheek, he then places her hand in mine before leaning in to whisper. "Congratulations, kid and I still own that shotgun."

"Dad!" Bella whispers in shock, and I chuckle quietly.

"He won't need it. I promise, Brown Eyes. Are you ready?"

A stray tear spills over as she inhales deeply and slowly releases a breath. Her smile broadens as she nods to me. I turn to the minister to let him know that we're ready.

Finally, Bella and I are going to have our happily ever after.

* * *

**Thank you to all who have waited so patiently for the ending to this story. I hope it lived up to your expectations and kept true to the Wedlocked storyline. This was my first story, and I had fun writing it and reading all your comments and reviews. It was a great learning experience, and it's paved the way for me to continue to bring you entertainment. It's what I love to do.**

**I will more than likely do an outtake for James' story in the future, as I feel it can only be told from his POV. For those who are interested, just put me on author alert and you'll be able to receive that when it's written.**

**Wedlocked has now been put to bed, and that allows my beta and me to work on future projects, which we are excited about. Dissecting Edward's sequel is in the works and will an amazing ride.**

**For those who are fans of Falling for Acacia, I will be getting back to that story as well. There's still so much of that story to tell, and I apologize for leaving it unattended for so long.**

**As I'm sure you know, my beta and now co-author FoolForEdward and I are writing a story called 'Counsel'. You'll find it on our joint Fanfiction page under WriteSisters. It's a LawyerWard fic with a unique plotline and depicts the life of Edward in and out of the courtroom. We're still in the early chapters of Counsel, and we update weekly. So if you're interested in a well-written story with a good plotline, may I suggest you give Counsel a try. It won't disappoint. (Yes this is self-pimping. Lol!)**

**Last and not least, FoolforEdward and I will soon be launching a website showcasing all of our creative works. Our website will feature outtakes and short stories, which we will not be posting on Fanfiction. The site will keep anyone who follows our work abreast of up and coming projects, and provide a forum to know our works and us better. It will be a good way to get answers to a lot of question you may have and get a peek into our creative heads. We will announce the launch of the website sometime in the near future on our WriteSisters Fanfiction page.**

**Additionally, I'm working on a new story and hope to bring it to you soon. It will be a B&E fic, and I'm really excited about it. I wish I could say more, but it's still in the early stages. As soon as I have the summary and the first chapters completed, I'll bring that to you. Just be sure and keep Chynnadoll on author alert. **

**Thanks for reading this lengthy A/N, and you'll be hearing from us soon!**


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